Stay With Me
by CaseyBensonNovak
Summary: When Casey is hurt, will she allow Olivia to rescue her? Or will someone from her past jeapordize her future, and even her life?
1. Mysterious Circumstances

Casey sighed softly as she typed the rough draft of her opening argument for court the next morning. She always typed both her opening and her closing arguments, and memorized them over night. Sighing, the ADA paused as a memory of the previous night flashed into her mind, making her flinch at the mere thought of it. After a few seconds, when she had managed to compose herself, she finished the last few lines of her speech and hit print.

She had just stood up and opened the office door when she nearly collided with her only visitor of the evening. Stepping back, Casey allowed Detective Olivia Benson to enter her office, but not without first asking "Olivia, it's after eleven at night. What are you doing all the way across town from the precinct?" She glanced at the clock, realizing what she had just said. "Oh, I'm going to be late, very, very late," she said, more to herself than Olivia.

"I was on my way home and I realized I was craving a cup of coffee. I figured I would come check to see if you were here and if you wanted to come with me."

Casey hesitated before answering, teetering between decisions as she weighed her options. On the one hand, she didn't want to make Olivia feel like she was avoiding her, which would happen if she declined the offer, the way she had for the past six consecutive nights. However, her other option was going, and then getting home late, which would mean more pain in the morning.

"Casey?" Olivia asked, reaching out to place her hand on Casey's shoulder. The attorney jumped . Olivia's brow knitted in concern for the younger woman. "Are you alright?"

Casey managed to nod. "I'm okay," she murmured, immediately hating herself for lying to her best friend. But what choice did she have? Telling the truth was akin to begging the brunette to kill her. Remembering that she still had not answered Olivia's question, she caved and said "I can go, but I need to be home by midnight."

"Early day tomorrow?" Olivia questioned.

"Sort of," Casey replied with a shrug. She hoped that the other woman would realize she was unwilling to elaborate further. Her wish was granted when Olivia changed the subject.

"Do you want to go to the cafe around the corner from here? That way we can spend a half hour there and I can take you home with time to spare."

Casey managed a soft smile in response. "Yeah. That sounds good," she answered. She walked over to her desk and powered down her laptop. Retrieving the paper she had printed, she filed it into her briefcase in the "arguments" section. Finally, she grabbed her jacket and pulled it on, buttoning it all the way. She followed Olivia out of the office and down the hallway to the elevator, hoping desperately that the detective would not question why she had been wearing such a different sort of wardrobe lately.

_ Fifteen minutes later, _the two women were sitting inside the warm cafe with steaming cups of coffee in front of them. Olivia had ordered a plain coffee with only one sugar and no cream. Casey, meanwhile, had opted for a mocha latte. Despite Casey's insistent attempts to push money across the table, Olivia had paid for both. Casey looked down at her drink and sighed softly. "Thanks for the coffee, Olivia. Really, it means a lot."

"You're welcome," Olivia responded, reaching for a napkin. Her chocolate brown eyes met Casey's emerald ones in a penetrating gaze that seemed to burrow into Casey's soul. "Case, is there something you are not telling me? You can come to me with anything."

"No, there's nothing," Casey answered, too quickly. She silently cursed herself.

Olivia caught the lie. She reached across the table and took Casey's hand, still looking into her eyes. "Tell me the truth, Casey. No matter what it is, I am here for you. I won't judge you. You have to know that after all these years."

"I'm okay, really," Casey fumbled as she looked down at Olivia's hand on top of hers. "Why...why would you think otherwise?" God. Why was it that she couldn't lie to Olivia?

"No, you're not. You are acting weird lately. You are jumpy and nervous and you are always wrapped up in bundles, even in the courtroom, which is almost always over seventy degrees. Damn it, Casey. Tell me what the hell is going on with you."

"I can't," Casey mumbled apologetically. She withdrew her hand and reached for her coffee. As she did so, the cup fell over, spilling the scalding drink all over her. She jumped up, crying out in pain, though not only because of the coffee. Not thinking, she removed her jacket so that she could get to her skirt more easily. Grabbing a napkin, she began to dab at the hot liquid all over the black material. She hurried into the restroom and ran some paper towels under the sink water in order to wet them. Resuming her dabbing she finally finished and reached for some dry towels. By the time she was satisfied that there was not a giant wet blob on her skirt, another ten minutes had elapsed. Now Casey had twenty minutes to get home, or the consequences would be severe.

She made her way back over to their table in the corner and reached for her jacket, though she did not put it on yet. She looked at Olivia. "Thanks for the coffee. I have to go. I'll call you tomorrow."

"I'm here if you need to talk," Olivia assured her again.

Casey nodded. "I know," she replied before quickly pulling her jacket on. But not before Olivia saw the dark purple bruises on the redhead's ivory skin.


	2. In Plain Sight

_Author's note: Well, everyone, thanks for all the reviews. I'm glad this story has caught some interest. I think the hardest part about uploading a new story is waiting to see if people like it. Usually if I get no reviews within a couple weeks after publishing, it is a sign to me that the story is a bust. I'm just happy I didn't have to worry about that with this one. As always, thanks for the reviews. Also, for those of you familiar with Charlie, keep in mind what he did to Casey; trust me, it will help. For those who aren't, he was Casey's boyfriend in law school. He was schizophrenic and he raped and beat her multiple times when he was off of his medication. Casey begged the police not to take him, but kicked Charlie out. Years later he was found dead with no ID but her business card on him; she blamed herself. For more information, see the episodes "Influence" from season 7 and "Blinded" from season 9. Anyway, on to the chapter._

Casey awoke to the blinding sunlight streaming into the bedroom. She groaned softly and resisted the urge to roll over. Going back to sleep would make her late to work, and the last thing she needed right now was to be chewed out by Judge Petrovsky first thing in the morning. She could hear the elderly woman's voice now: "Punctuality is essential, Miss Novak. I will not tolerate tardiness in my courtroom." Casey sighed as she imagined the conversation. Yeah. There was no way in hell she was going to set herself up for that.

She carefully stood up from the bed, resisting the urge to cry out at the pain that immediately shot through her body. She slowly made her way into the bathroom and closed the door, locking it, even though he had already left for work. She turned the shower water on to the maximum temperature her body could tolerate. While it heated, Casey pulled her pajamas off and glanced in the mirror. There was a new bruise on her collarbone, another on her hip, and several near her hairline. She sighed softly, moving her long red hair in an attempt to cover the injuries. But it did no good. She would have to wear the makeup. Again.

Disgusted, she turned away from the mirror and carefully stepped into the shower. Drawing the curtain behind her, she slipped under the near scalding water and dissolved into silent sobbing.

_By the time Casey got to the courthouse, _it was five minutes until nine, which meant she had to get from the parking lot to courtroom ten faster than humanly possible. Shaking her head, she checked the rearview mirror one last time to make sure all of her bruises were concealed. Satisfied, she got out of the car and hurried through the parking lot, up the steps outside of the courthouse, and through the building until she reached the correct room. She noted by her watch that it was 9:01. "Wonderful," the attorney muttered to herself.

Taking a deep breath, Casey opened the door and stepped into the courtroom. She immediately blushed as nearly every eye in the room turned on her. True to character, Judge Petrovsky's cold eyes burrowed into Casey's, the disapproval nearly tangible. "Nice of you to join us, Miss Novak. You can be sure the DA will hear about this."

Casey bit back a fresh round of tears. Crying in the shower was one thing. At least she was alone in there. But here, in the courtroom, falling apart was not an appealing option. So, resisting the urge to respond in a way that would make a bad situation worse, Casey replied "I'm sorry, Your Honor. It won't happen again."

"It better not," Petrovsky warned.

Casey nodded, not saying anything as she walked over to the prosecution table and took her seat.

"Now that everyone is here, we can formally begin," the judge said, making Casey feel like the lowest thing on the planet.

Over the course of the next few hours, Casey was scolded for four questions she asked, which were basic questions that she asked _every _defendant. She knew it was only because Petrovsky was already angry with her for being late. By the time the judge said they would resume the following morning, Casey was more than ready to leave, and she practically bolted out of the courtroom, in a manner highly uncharacteristic of her.

On her way out, because she wasn't paying much attention to where she was going, she nearly collided with someone. "I'm so sorry," she said, stopping in her tracks before she realized it was Olivia she had almost knocked to the ground.

"We need to talk," Olivia said, ignoring her apology. "I don't care where, but we definitely have some things to discuss."

Casey's brow knitted in confusion. "I gave you the arrest warrant you needed, and Amaro has the search warrant for Thomas Brown's house. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting at two, and it is now.." She checked her watch. "Noon," she read.

She began to walk away, but Olivia blocked her path. "Casey, don't treat me like a fool. You have over an hour before you have to get back to the office for your meeting, and I need you to talk to me. Either you give me a place, or we go to the precinct and talk there."

"Talk about what?" Casey asked, briefly worrying that Olivia knew. But how could she? She had hidden her bruises and she certainly hadn't told the detective. It was silly to even think Olivia knew what was going on. Sighing, Casey pulled out of her thoughts. "Fine, we'll talk. There's a restaurant down the street. We can do it there, I guess."

_"Coffee, ladies?"_

Casey looked up, noticing a pretty blonde who couldn't have been more than twenty one years old. "Um. Yes please," she answered. "And can we get some milk too?"

"Sure." The waitress looked at Olivia. "For you?"

"Coffee would be great. Thanks," Olivia answered.

As their server left to go get their coffee, Casey looked at Olivia. "Why are we here?" she asked.

"You know why," Olivia responded, meeting her gaze. "As smart as you are, I know you have surely figured it out by now." Seeing Casey's clueless features, the brunette sighed. "Casey, how long did you think you could hide it from me? I know what is going on with you. You've been hypersensitive and extremely cryptic lately, and after last night, I know why."

Casey paused for a moment, confused. "What does last night have to do with anything?" she questioned, her gaze dropping to the wooden table. She reached for a menu and tried to read in an effort to avoid Olivia's penetrating stare.

Olivia took it away from her and put it back. "Someone is hurting you. You may have been able to deny it lately, hell, you can even deny it to the other officers. But I saw the bruises last night, Casey. Please don't lie to me and tell me nothing is going on."

Casey sighed, biting back a fresh round of tears. "How did you see?" she asked quietly, knowing that denial was no longer an option.

"You took your coat off. I saw them. Oh my god, Casey, who is doing this to you?" Olivia reached across the table and gently took Casey's hand, making the redhead flinch and tense up immediately. But, after several moments, she managed to calm herself, knowing that it was Olivia, and that Olivia would never hurt her.

"Olivia, I can't tell you," Casey answered apologetically. She looked down at the floor. "I-"

She was cut off by the return of their waitress. "Two coffees and a pitcher of cold milk," she

announced, setting each item carefully on the table. "Have you ladies thought about what you want for lunch?"

Casey looked at Olivia for a moment, then answered "I think I'll just have a burger and fries. And can you make sure the burger has nothing on it except cheese, and that the meat is well done please? If there is any pink I will send it back."

"Sure thing," the blonde said, and Casey managed to see her nametag, which read Debbie. "And for you?" she asked, turning to Olivia.

"I'll have the same thing," Olivia responded with a small smile. "But on mine, I would like everything, please, and I would like my meat to be well done as rare."

Debbie jotted down their orders and then recounted what they had said. "I have two burgers, both well done, one plain, the other with the works. Would you like French fries on the side?"

"Yes," Casey and Olivia answered together.

Debbie smiled. "Each with a side of fries. What would you like to drink? Or do you want more coffee?"

Casey pondered the question for a moment. Then she answered "Can I have a glass of Dr. Pepper with a quarter cup of ice please?"

"I'll just have more coffee," Olivia said.

"One Dr. Pepper and another coffee," Debbie confirmed. Noting the smiles she received from both women, she put her pen in her pocket and said "Your order should be ready in a half hour or so. If you need me, let me know."

Casey nodded. "Thank you," she murmured. As Debbie walked away, she turned her attention back to Olivia. "I didn't know you like your meat well done."

"Don't change the subject," Olivia said.

So much for that, Casey thought. "I can't tell you," she said again, hating that she had to hide the truth from her best friend. "I would if I could, you know that."

Olivia gently lifted Casey's sleeve and examined the fresh bruises on the pale skin. "You of all people should know that you can come to me with anything, and that I will be there for you. You know that this time is no different than the time you told me you had a one night stand with a bartender."

"I know," Casey replied, sighing. "But the thing is, this is different. If I tell you, then...it will make everything worse. I'm fine, okay? I really am. I'm used to it. Trust me."

Olivia shook her head, taking a rather large sip of coffee. "I don't want to see in a body bag, Case. If that happens, I don't know what I'll do to the person who is hurting you."

"That won't happen," Casey assured her. _He needs me too badly to kill me. He needs a live body to degrade every night, _she thought, shuddering outwardly.

If Olivia noticed, she didn't say anything about it. "I can see that you're not going to tell me. Just promise me that if it gets any worse, you will come to me? I am always here when you need me."

"I know," Casey replied. "I'll come to you if it gets worse," she promised. She would have said more, but by then, their food had arrived, and she didn't much feel up to talking about it anymore. All she wanted was to forget, but at the same time, she knew that it would be impossible to do so. It was something she would have to live with for as long as she lived...however long that would be.


	3. The Terrifying Truth

_Author's note: Okay, here is a warning. This chapter is a bit graphic. It does reveal some mysteries though. Enjoy. As always, please read and review._

Casey slowly opened the front door and stepped into the apartment. She flinched as it immediately slammed closed behind her. "Where were you?" came a low, throaty voice. His voice.

Casey shut her eyes, trying to block out her fear. That only made it worse. "I had to work," she squeaked in a terrified whisper. "It ran late."

"I called the office, and they said you didn't get back until right before the meeting. So I called the courthouse. They said you were gone from immediately after court. It seems you were seen talking to a Detective. I believe her name is Detective Benson?"

Fuck. Casey sighed, managing to sidestep her boyfriend before he could hit her. She scrambled to figure out a way to avoid pissing him off. Her entire body, inside and out, still ached from last night. "I had to give her a warrant. And she wanted to talk."

That was the wrong thing to say. Casey immediately regretted it as his hand hit the wall with a resounding bang. "I told you to go to the office and the courthouse, but nowhere else. I told you that you were to talk to no one except those you had to talk to, and ONLY with my express permission. Do you recall that? Or is your brain so tiny that you can't remember a damn thing I say to you?"

"I'm sorry-" Casey said. She resisted the urge to flinch again. If she did, it would only make him angrier. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-"

"To defy me?" Came the cold retort. "It's too late to say sorry. You defied me, you disobeyed me, and you disrespected me, and now you're exactly fifteen minutes past your curfew. You know the consequences of such actions."

Casey began to step backwards in an effort to get away, but it didn't work. He grabbed her and pinned her against the wall. "Please don't," she cried, struggling against him.

"You know the rules and you know the consequences for breaking them. I warned you and you failed to listen! So just shut up and for once do what you are told!"

Casey cried out in pain as he slapped her across the face with such force that it stung long after his hand was away. No sooner had she finally recovered, he hit her again, twice. Somehow, she managed to break one arm free and hit him upside the head. As he recoiled, she kicked him as hard as she could between the legs and bolted for the stairs. Seconds later, he was right behind her, shouting "Get back here, you little bitch!" But Casey knew she had to escape. She easily flew up the four flights of stairs and when she reached the bedroom, she slammed the door behind her and locked it. That wouldn't hold him for long, but she silently prayed that it would be enough.

Ignoring the banging on the door, she ran for the phone and quickly dialed Olivia's number from memory. The line rang and rang, and Casey was about to give up hope. Finally, however, the other end was picked up. "Detective Benson."

"Olivia, he knows. He knows, and he's really mad and I think he's going to kill me. Well he'll rape me first but after that I don't know what he'll do and I'm sorry to bother you because I know I shouldn't but I didn't know what else to do or who else to call and oh god, I'm just really scared!" Casey cried hysterically. She used every ounce of strength she had to hold the door shut.

"Casey?" Olivia asked. The detective sighed softly. "I'm still at the precinct. Can you hold him off until I get there?"

"That's almost an hour away!" Casey cried. "Even with a cop car!"

Olivia's voice sounded very apologetic. "I will be there as soon as I can. Where are you right now?"

"In the bedroom," Casey said between tears. "He's really strong, Olivia. I can't hold him off for much longer."

"I'm on my way," Olivia said. And, without warning, the line went dead.

"Who the hell are you talking to in there?"

Casey pushed against the door as he banged on it again. "Nobody important," she said, wincing at the fact that she was doing the one thing she hated doing more than anything: lying.

She crumpled to the floor when the door flew open. He stood there in the doorway, anger flashing in his eyes. Casey didn't even have enough energy left to scoot more than a couple feet away, which quickly proved futile. With his pistol in one hand, he used the other to yank her to her feet and drag her to the bed. "Obey me or it will be the last thing you ever do. Now lay down."

"Please don't hurt me," Casey pleaded in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Shut up," he ordered, yanking roughly on a chunk of her hair. He pinned her roughly against the bed and unzipped his zipper. Then he ripped off her skirt. All Casey could do was watch helplessly as one of her favorite skirts fluttered to the ground in shreds. It wouldn't matter what time Olivia arrived...she would probably be dead by then, anyway. Casey tried to ignore the irony as her mind flashed back to their conversation at the restaurant.

She was brought back to reality when he penetrated her roughly, immediately entering her fully. Casey cried out in pain. Even after all this time, she was still not used to it. He began to thrust in and out of her as hard as he could, grunting as he did so, while at the same time biting every inch of her body. He seemed oblivious to her cries of pain, oblivious to the fact that she was bleeding from each and every one of those bite wounds. As if seeking to degrade her further, he reached for his knife, which he kept on the nightstand. Taking it in his right hand, he raked it along her inner thigh, not enough to leave a scar once it healed, but enough to make Casey scream as drops of ruby red blood appeared on her ivory skin. Ignoring this, he continued to thrust into her. "Someday you will learn not to disobey me," he growled. He began to groan as his release took him. Feeling the sudden warmth inside of her, Casey tried to bite back the tears. But a one rolled out of her emerald eyes and down her cheek, despite her silent willing for it not to.

Satisfied, he reached for the long gash he had created on her thigh and pressed hard on the cut, which only made the stinging that much worse. Casey briefly wished she could bleed to death from that cut, plus the bleeding bite marks. If she were dead, she would never have to hurt again. But that was too much to hope for. If there was one thing she had learned in the last year, it was that mercy was a rarity.

"I need a beer," he suddenly announced. Standing up from the bed, he looked at Casey, pure hatred in his near black eyes. "If you even move an inch, you will find out what it feels like to die." He reached for his gun, just as another voice responded to him, one that didn't belong to Casey.

"You first." Before he even had time to turn around, let alone respond, he slid to the floor after a resounding gunshot.

Casey looked up from her place on the bed. Seeing who was standing there, she managed a weak smile. "Olivia," she murmured.

Olivia hurried over to her and knelt down next to her. "Casey, why didn't you tell me about this sooner, sweetie?" she asked, brushing a stray lock of red hair out of Casey's eyes. She sighed deeply. "Look at you," she said, shaking her head. "You're bruised and bloody, and you still couldn't tell your best friend that someone is hurting you?" As the brunette spoke, the someone in question began to rise from the floor. Olivia was too quick for him. She punched him and kicked him twice, once in the neck and once directly between his legs. She smiled as he fell down once more. "Stay down or you will discover the consequences for disobeying _me._"

"I feel so sleepy," Casey murmured, laying her head back against the pillows.

"I know, honey, but you have to stay awake until we get to the hospital." Olivia retrieved her cell phone from her pocket and called 911. When someone picked up, Olivia explained her reason for calling. "This is Detective Olivia Benson of Manhattan SVU. I need a bus sent to my current location. Please notify that the victim is Casey Novak with the District Attorney's office." Olivia proceeded to give the address. Once she hung up, she knelt down at Casey's side once more. "The ambulance is on its way," she murmured as she stroked the redhead's long curls.

"Okay," Casey whispered weakly.

Ten minutes later, sirens sounded from out front. Casey, who had been sipping the water Olivia had gone downstairs and poured for her, started to get up, but Olivia made her lay back down. "Stay with me," Casey pleaded softly.

"Always," Olivia whispered with a reassuring smile. Seconds later, four paramedics entered, with two stretchers. They loaded Casey's attacker onto one and carried him outside and into one of the ambulances, and her onto the other. Loading her into her own ambulance, they allowed Olivia to ride with her.

Once they got to the hospital and the doctors had Casey stabilized, they gave her and Olivia some privacy. Casey laid still on the bed, trying to ignore the sense of deja vu. "We were here seven years ago."

"After Milan Zurgas beat you," Olivia replied, nodding. The brunette carried a chair over to Casey's bedside and sat down next to her. "How are you feeling?"

"Like hell," Casey responded.

Olivia managed a soft smile. "I know. Casey, what's his name? You can trust me, you know that. Or at least you better know that by now."

Tired of lying, Casey took a deep breath and briefly contemplated her options before answering. She could tell the truth, and be dragged through a trial, which would be extremely ironic. Being the victim was definitely more frustrating than being the prosecutor. On other hand, she could lie...again. She could lie to her best friend, as she had been for months, and make Olivia worry even more. Finally, Casey answered "His name is Chance. He's Charlie's older brother."


	4. Casey's Revelation

Casey awoke from a restless sleep early in the morning. She slowly opened her eyes and turned her head enough to see that Olivia was sitting in the chair next to her, watching her. "You're still here?" she asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily. It had been a long night, full of broken sleep, not that she had expected different. Two memories kept flashing through her mind: one of the attack itself and the other of Olivia shooting Chance and him getting up to try to hurt her again, before being shot down a second time.

"I never left," Olivia said, a tender smile on her face. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore," Casey murmured, knowing it was the understatement of the year. But she was too tired to consult her mental thesaurus, so sore would have to do for now.

Olivia nodded. "I figured. The doctors were in and out all night checking on you. They kicked me out once, but I just waited outside while they checked on you."

"You could have gone, Liv," Casey told her. "I appreciate you staying, but I do not want to interfere with your work. I don't want someone else to get hurt while you play protector over me."

"The others know that they can call me if they need me," Olivia assured her. She reached over and placed her hand over Casey's. "Why didn't you trust me enough to tell me what was going on?"

Casey sighed, biting back a sudden round of tears. "I didn't want anyone to know. He said he would kill me if I told anyone. I know that is what all victims say, and I know we tell them their attackers just do that to scare them into silence and the only way to get justice is to tell someone...but, Olivia, when it is happening to you personally, it is a whole different concept. Every night, I had to be home by a certain time, usually midnight at the latest. And he would demand I tell him every place I was going to be that way, and then call them to verify that I was in fact there. And once I got home, he would find a reason to be angry with me. He would take me to the bedroom, and usually tie me down and then..." She trailed off, tears flooding her emerald eyes. She continued in a broken voice. "Every night, after he...finished...he would just roll over and go to sleep, like my pain didn't phase him at all. It's an awful experience, Olivia, especially once you factor in the hitting."

Olivia shook her head. "I understand that you were scared, and believe me, I'm not about to lecture you, but in the future, you need to know that you can come to me with anything and I will be there for you."

"I know," Casey replied. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. I just thought if I stayed quiet he would stop someday." She looked away from Olivia out of shame. "What a stupid thing to hope for, I know."

"Not at all," Olivia assured her, with a soft smile. She checked the clock. "It's six minutes past ten. Do you want me to go pick up some breakfast?"

Casey hesitated for a moment. Her stomach grumbled as if trying to answer the question, but on the other hand, she wasn't sure she wanted Olivia to leave. Finally, though, she nodded. "Yes, please."

"What do you want?" Olivia asked, gathering her things and pulling on her coat. She buttoned it and smiled at Casey.

"I don't know. I have been craving hash browns. Beyond that, I'll have whatever you're having."

Olivia smiled again. "Okay. I'll be back in a bit." She squeezed Casey's hand gently. "Try to get some rest while I'm gone, okay? For me?"

Casey returned the smile with a weak one of her own. "I will," she promised quietly, trying to ignore the spark of emotion that shot through her at Olivia's touch. _Where did that come from?_ she thought. _It's probably just my imagination._ "I'll rest," she repeated out loud.

"Good. See you in a half hour or so."

"Olivia?" Casey asked.

Olivia paused at the door. She turned around and looked at Casey, worry clouding her chocolate brown eyes. "Yes?"

Casey smiled at her. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"You don't have to thank me, but you're welcome," Olivia replied. Immediately after saying that, she was gone, the door closing gently behind her. Casey, meanwhile, settled back against the pillows and tried to block out the memories of the previous night and all nights before it for the last three months.

It didn't seem like any time had passed when the door opened again and Olivia returned. Casey opened her eyes slowly and saw that the older woman was holding two paper bags, which were both from McDonald's. The detective placed both bags on top of the table next to the bed. Then she left the room for a moment, and returned carrying two tall coffees. She handed one to Casey and set the other next to one of the bags. "The creamer and the sugar are in the bag closest to you, along with one of those cute red spoons you like so much."

"Thanks," Casey said, reaching into the bag. She took out two sugars and a creamer, and took the lid off of her coffee. Steam immediately escaped. As she stirred the creamer and sugar in, she continued to speak. "If you go in my purse, the pocket in the front has my wallet."

"You don't have to pay me back," Olivia told her, stirring just one sugar into her own coffee.

"Olivia-"

"It's okay," Olivia insisted with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it." She uncurled one of the bags and took out a hash brown and a sausage McMuffin. Retrieving a napkin, she handed everything to Casey. "Eat up. I hope you have an appetite."

Casey nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty hungry." She watched as Olivia sat down once more in the chair and bit into her own breakfast sandwich. Olivia caught her looking at her and returned her smile. The next several minutes were spent in silence as they ate their breakfast. Casey finally broke the quiet though when she said "What would I do without you as my best friend?"

Olivia looked up. "Well, you'd be a mess, now wouldn't you?" she asked, displaying the cockiness that Casey knew so well, and had always assumed to come with being a cop. It was something she had always loved on the older woman. Olivia interrupted her thoughts by adding "Casey, I want you to know that you are truly my best friend, too, and if anything had happened to you, if you had died, I don't know what I would have done. We can't really afford to lose another ADA right now."

Olivia's words made Casey feel very wanted. She thought back to when they had first met, when she had thought the complete opposite. Their relationship had grown strongly over the course of the last eight years, she realized. And that was an amazing feeling. "You have Alex," she replied, surprising even herself with that remark.

Olivia leaned back in the chair, loudly swallowing her coffee. "She has nothing to do with this, Casey, you know that. You are both back at SVU, but that does not mean I would rather have one of you than the other, so please do not think otherwise."

"I'm sorry," Casey quickly apologized. "I just feel inadequate sometimes, and I wonder if you like her better." She shook her head. "God, I sound like a bratty teenager, don't I?"

"No, and don't worry, I understand completely. But I am telling you that there is no need to feel that way, okay?"

"Okay." Casey looked down at her hash brown, from which she had only taken a couple of nibbles out of. "What is going to happen to..."

Olivia completed her thought. "To Chance?" she asked. Seeing Casey nod, the brunette sighed. "Last I heard he was still in our holding cell waiting to be picked up and taken to the Tombs. I can call and see, if you want."

"No," Casey answered quickly. "I mean um...that's okay. Don't worry about it." She carefully shifted on the bed, groaning softly at the pain that coursed throughout her body. "It really means a lot to me that you stayed, Olivia. I hope you know how much."

"I know," Olivia answered. She stood up and threw her trash away. Sitting back down, she sipped her coffee and swallowed, then spoke again. "I was not about to let you wake up alone. Especially not after everything that happened to you."

Casey bit her lip hard, ignoring the fact that she suddenly tasted blood. "There's uh...more to it," she admitted, looking into Olivia's eyes.

"More?" Olivia repeated, her voice full of concern. "Okay, what is there to know that I don't already?"

Casey looked away, sighing. "This has been going on for three months. He raped me every night, sometimes multiple times a night. Not once did he wear any protection. Last week, I found out that I'm..." She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I'm pregnant," she admitted quietly. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she dissolved into tears.

Olivia stood up and walked over to her. She knelt down and pulled the younger woman into her arms, holding her to comfort her. Casey cried in her arms for the next fifteen minutes. Finally, though, she managed to compose herself, and when she did, Olivia brushed a stray hair out of her eyes. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know," Casey confessed with a shrug that she immediately regretted when it worsened her pain.

Olivia held her tightly. "I know this is a very hard decision to make, and I'm probably not the best person to give you advice in this particular area, but whatever decision you make, I will stand by you and support you."

"Thank you," Casey murmured, sniffling. She wiped her tears and sighed, her head falling back against the pillows. "I'm Catholic, like you, Olivia. You know as well as I do that abortion is forbidden, and I don't think I could ever bring myself to kill a baby."

"Casey, I know that, but it could be a monster like the man who created it. What if it is?"

Casey shook her head. "I can't blame my baby for what its father did. There is good and bad in everyone. It's which side you act on that determines who you are. I know it may have a predisposition, but when it comes to the nature v. nurture argument, I'm going to go against what I usually say and take the nurture side in this particular instance. I can raise it to be good. I know I can."

Olivia nodded. "I know you can. I have faith in you. Just remember that if you need anything, I am here for you. I will do anything, at any time." She looked as if she was going to say something else, but she was interrupted by her phone, which rang loudly from her pocket. She retrieved it and answered it. "Detective Benson." Her brow knitted as the person on the other end spoke. She was clearly growing more and more agitated. "He what?" she asked. "How?" She paused to listen to the one on the other line speak. "Yeah, okay, I'll break the news." Hanging up, she turned to Casey. "Do you think you can handle some bad news?"

Casey shrugged. "My day can't get much worse," she replied.

"Brace yourself."

"Olivia-"

Olivia took a deep breath, then said "Chance escaped."


	5. Dead Man Walking

"HE WHAT?" Casey cried, sitting up so abruptly that she only belatedly realized how bad of an idea that was. She winced as burning pain shot through her body. "What the hell happened?"

Olivia sighed, sitting down next to her. "Rollins was taking him down to the holding cell downstairs, when he elbowed her and ran, and since they were downstairs, not a lot of people were around. By the time she sounded the alarm, he was out the emergency exit and into the wind. I'm so sorry, Casey."

Casey looked away, biting her lip in an effort to fight a sudden round of tears. After everything that had happened, when she was just beginning to feel somewhat safe again, it all had to shatter like a mirror under a hammer. "He'll know where I am, Olivia," she stated quietly. "And he'll come for me. I know he will."

"I will stay with you and make sure no harm comes to you," Olivia assured her.

But Casey shook her head. "It won't be enough. You don't know him, Olivia. He has the power and skill of a powerful mobster, and the only difference is that he doesn't have a formal gang. He does, however, have a group of men that stand behind him for everything, and help him do his bidding. I can't even pick them out from a line up, because I have never met them, but I've heard him talking to them." She sighed. "Forget it. I'm just going home." She began to take out all of her IV's.

"Case, if you go home, I can't protect you. He will find you and hurt you again, and you will probably not survive this time."

"Well what I am I supposed to do?" Casey asked, snapping even though that had not been her intention. "I'm just as unsafe here!"

Olivia looked into her eyes. "Then come stay with me for awhile," she answered.

"I can't. I don't want to impose on you," Casey declined.

"It won't be imposing. Let me protect you, Casey. Let me make you feel safe again. Please."

Casey pondered her options for a moment. She did feel safe around Olivia, that much had always been true. But she had never been one who enjoyed staying with other people long, because she always felt like she was imposing. Finally, she took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay, I will stay with you. But feel free to kick me out whenever you decide you want your apartment back."

Olivia chuckled. "I'll be sure to do that," she replied with a soft smile. She met Casey's gaze once more. "Are you ready to leave?"

"Yes," Casey said without even thinking about. She was not a big fan of doctors, and she no longer felt safe at the hospital, so she was more than ready to get the hell out. "Can you talk to the doctor?"

Olivia nodded. "Yes." She stood up. "I'll be back shortly."

Thirty minutes later, after Casey had completed the endless check out process, Olivia was helping her into the car. They drove to Olivia's apartment, and Casey was highly caught off guard when Olivia picked her up and carried her up the outside steps, through the hallway to the elevator, and did not put her down again until after they were inside the apartment, when she laid the beautiful redhead on the couch. "Are you hungry?" Olivia asked.

"I don't know," Casey replied honestly.

Olivia nodded. "I'll order anyway, in case you get hungry later, okay?"

"Okay," Casey answered quietly.

Olivia picked up the house phone and took the phone book from its place in the drawer next to the stove. Casey covered her mouth to hide her giggles, but Olivia caught them and looked at her. "What's so funny?"

Casey smiled. "Your lack of organization. Who puts a phone book in the kitchen drawer?" she asked, grinning.

"The detective whose meals are take out, nine times out of ten," Olivia replied, returning the younger woman's smile with one of her own. "Anyway." She held up the phone book with her right hand. "What are you in the mood for?"

"Papa John's, I guess," Casey responded, though she did not have much of an appetite.

Olivia began dialing. As the other end rang, she held the receiver away from her ear and looked at Casey again. "Double pepperoni, extra large should be enough for both of us, right?"

"Sounds great," Casey managed to say.

Olivia nodded as the person on the other end picked up. "This is Detective Olivia Benson. I would like to order one extra large double pepperoni pizza, with extra jalapenos on the side and some bread sticks. Also, I would like a liter of root beer." Olivia gave her address and hung up a few seconds later. She entered the living room and smiled softly at Casey. "Dinner should be here in about thirty minutes." She hesitated when she reached the couch. "I'll sit in the chair."

"No," Casey replied. "Will you sit with me?"

"Are you sure?"

Casey looked up at her. "Yes, I'm sure," she stated with a soft smile. As Olivia sat down next to her on the couch, Casey voiced what she had been thinking about ever since their conversation at the hospital. "If I know Chance, it was his suggestion for Amanda to take him down there. I can hear what he told her. '_Hey baby. Why don't you and me have some alone time together, away from all the commotion?_' And I would bet my life on the two reasons I think he would do so: he thinks it would be easier to overpower a woman and then escape, and he thinks she's hot."

"Nice reasons," Olivia answered. "You're thinking like a cop."

Casey blushed, knowing the older woman's words were a compliment, and a strong on at that. "I learned from the best," she said, meeting Olivia's gaze.

"You're so sweet," Olivia said, brushing a stray hair out of Casey's emerald eyes.

"Thank you for letting me stay here, Olivia," Casey murmured. "I promise it won't be for long. Maybe a week at most."

Olivia shrugged, brushing it off. "Stay as long as you want, Case. You know I would do anything for you." She placed her hand on Casey's stomach and smiled. "You and the baby. If either of you ever need anything, just call, okay?"

"Okay," Casey agreed, though she hoped the need to do that would not surface often.

The pizza arrived a few minutes later. Olivia paid, despite Casey's objection, and she set up a plate for the young attorney. On it she placed two slices of pizza, then she poured a tall glass of root beer with half a cup of ice. She set everything up on a TV tray in front of the couch, so that Casey could relax while she ate. For herself, the detective prepared a plate with four slices of pizza and both jalapenos (she knew Casey didn't like spicy food). After making her own drink, she set up a TV tray for herself and sat down next to Casey.

"I think I'm going to call the doctor tomorrow," Casey announced suddenly. "I want to make an appointment to see how the baby is, assuming they can do that this early in the pregnancy." She turned to Olivia, who had just bitten into a jalapeno and was chewing it with no obvious reaction to it. "Will you go with me?" she asked.

Olivia finished chewing her pepper and swallowed. "Of course," she replied. "Just give me a date and time, and I will make sure I am not out in the field when you need me."

"Thank you," Casey replied, hoping Olivia would understand how much emotion was hidden behind those two simple words, understand how much she meant them.

"Sure. Now eat something. I don't want you to get sick."

Casey nodded and looked at her dinner. She smiled when she saw that Olivia had remembered to give her a fork and knife. Picking them up, she cut her pizza into pieces and took a bite. Once she was finished with the bite, she smiled. "Thank you again," she said. "Are you sure you didn't want me to pay? Just take some cash out of my wallet. I-"

Olivia cut her off, holding her hand up. "It's okay, Casey, don't worry about it. I mean it."

"But you paid for the coffee," Casey protested.

"And I still mean that it is not a big deal, alright?" Olivia smiled reassuringly. "You deserve it."

"For what?" Casey questioned, wondering what the brunette meant.

But Olivia quickly popped the other half of her partial jalapeno into her mouth instead of answering. Showing that she had no intention of giving an answer, at least for the time being, she changed the subject. "Are you taking him to trial?" she inquired.

"I don't know," Casey responded truthfully. She honestly was not sure at the moment. It would be very weird to be on the other side of the desk for once, listening to another prosecutor ask HER questions, and testifying would mean sharing her secret with everyone. But, at the same time, if she did not go through with a trial, it would make her a hypocrite, as it would conflict with everything she had ever said to victims before.

"I understand. Like I said earlier, though, no matter what choice you make, I will support your decision fully."

Casey, agreeing, nodded. The next fifteen minutes were spend in relative silence as the two women finished their dinner. Olivia did the dishes, resisting Casey's offer to help. Instead, she told the young attorney to rest, for her sake and the baby's. Once the dishes were done and put away, Olivia reclaimed her seat next to Casey on the couch and turned the TV on. "Casey, I want to ask you something."

"Anything," Casey answered, turning to face her.

"Does Chance know you're pregnant with his child?"

Casey shook her head. "No. And I don't think I want to tell him. That would give him more leverage over me, and besides, I don't want my baby to grow up with a father like him. I know I will have to tell them when they are old enough, but I'm not ready just yet."

"I know." Olivia flipped the channels until she found a horror movie on. "Do you like horror movies?"

"Yeah. As long as it is not extremely graphic," Casey answered.

"Well this is the second Final Destination movie. It has blood and gore in it, but it is nowhere near as bad as, say, Sweeney Todd. But if you want me to turn it off, just tell me at any point okay?" Olivia stood up and headed into the bedroom. She came back out carrying a cashmere blanket, and adjusted the thermostat before she sat back down. She handed the blanket to Casey. "This is in case you get cold."

"What about you?"

"I'm not cold," Olivia told her, smiling.

Casey returned her smile and snuggled under the blanket. She laid her head on Olivia's shoulder and started to pull away when she realized what she was doing, but Olivia wrapped her arm around her and held her. The redhead didn't last long into the movie. Fifteen minutes later, she was sound asleep.

When the movie was over, Olivia lifted her off of the couch, careful not to hurt any of the bruised or broken parts of her body, and carried her into the bedroom. Laying her down in the bed, she tucked Casey in and smiled softly, turning the lights off. "I love you," she whispered before gently closing the bedroom door on her way out.


	6. A Tender Touch

_Author's note: Hey everyone. Sorry for the long update break. I caught whatever has been going around, and I haven't felt up to writing. However, I am better now, and will continue. Sit back, enjoy, and as always, thanks for reading. Please review xo._

Olivia awoke to the sound of terrified crying, which she immediately recognized as Casey. Within seconds, she had grabbed her gun, dropped the case file she had fallen asleep cuddling with, and sprinted into the bedroom. She turned the light on, and as soon as her eyes had adjusted, she saw Casey awake in bed, her head buried, her body racked with sobbing. Olivia sighed softly, hating to see the younger woman like this. She knelt down on the bed and slowly wrapped her arm around Casey's shoulder. The redhead's flinch did not escape her.

She began to pull away, but Casey's whispered plea stopped her. "Don't leave," she begged quietly. "I...I'm sorry...I don't mean to be so jumpy," she murmured, sniffling as she wiped a fresh round of tears from her emerald eyes.

Olivia continued to hold her, and gently brushed a stray lock of hair away from Casey's face. "You have nothing to be sorry for," she answered with a tender smile. "You have every right to be afraid, and terrified. Just know that, no matter what, I am here for you, Casey."

"Thank you," Casey replied softly, sniffling again. She laid her head on Olivia's shoulder and sighed. "Sorry for waking you. The nightmare just felt so real. Physically and..emotionally and mentally...it was like living it all over again. I could feel him inside me. I could hear his words, smell the stench of booze on his breath..." Casey shook her head, the images of the dream flooding back into her mind once more.

Olivia pulled the covers that Casey had thrown off during her nightmare around both of them, looking into Casey's eyes. "I need to go into work for a few hours. I want to be the one to interrogate the bastard. Will you be okay without me?"

Casey shrugged. "I don't know," she answered truthfully. "I can't keep the flashbacks away, whether I am awake or asleep, sober or drunk...I just need to work."

"Casey, you're not going anywhere," Olivia told her. Casey knew by the stern tone in the detective's voice that this was going to be an uphill battle if she wanted to convince her to let her go to the office. "You're bruised all over, you have multiple broken bones, and you're a wreck emotionally. You are not going anywhere."

Casey sighed, turning to look into Olivia's eyes. "Olivia, I have to do something productive," she replied, hoping the older woman would understand what she was trying to tell her. "If I work, then I can keep my mind off of things, at least...for a little while. But I have to try something. Please take me to the office."

"Has anyone ever told you that you are more stubborn than a donkey?" Olivia asked with a small smile. She sighed, biting her lip thoughtfully. "I'll tell you what. I am not taking you to the office, but I will drive up there myself and pick up some files for you. They are on your desk, right?"

Casey nodded. "Yes," she answered. "But...can I talk to you?"

"Of course. You know you can tell me anything, and I will be here for you."

"I know," Casey agreed. She sighed, debating how to put what she wanted to say into words. She wanted to tell Olivia everything, but at the same time, she was afraid to say anything. But at the same time, Olivia was the one person she knew she could count on above all others.

"When Chance and I got together, it was sort of a fluke. It was not that long after my suspension was up, in fact, it was only about a month after I returned to New York. It was a surprise encounter in a bar that Charlie and I used to go to every Friday night. We talked until the early hours of the morning. We laughed, we danced, and he paid for both of my drinks, despite my protesting, because he insisted that a lady should never have to pay for herself. And I knew getting with the brother of the man who hurt me more times than I can count was a bad idea, but part of me felt like maybe it was worth a shot. It had been four years since I was in New York, and I figured since I was returning to a past life, I might as well balance that with new experiences, so I gave him a chance. And we were happy at first...he brought home presents for me every day. I had already fallen in love with him, and I thought I had finally found the one." Casey sighed, pausing as her memory played as if her brain had a built in video camera.

"So what happened?" Olivia asked, still holding her in her arms.

Casey blinked, feeling her eyes sting with tears once more. "One night when I got home from work, I was really depressed. I was angry and ashamed, and when he offered a night in bed to cheer me up, I just couldn't bring myself to get in the mood, even when he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me in a way that would have made Cinderella melt. But I told him, again, I was not in the mood. And then..." Casey trailed off, shaking her head. "He um...he grabbed my hair and pinned me against the wall, kissing me, forcing his tongue down my throat to the point where I couldn't breathe. When I tried to push him off, he pinned me harder and kneed me. I doubled over in pain, and he exploited that moment to his advantage. I remember him...laughing...calling me a slut as he ripped my clothes off and held me down on the floor. And then he raped me. He thrusted as hard and as deep as he could, and laughed, as if my cries didn't phase him one bit. Then he left me there, once he was finished, and he went to bed. He locked me out of the bedroom, and I just laid there, crying, until I woke up the next morning."

"Why didn't you leave?" Olivia asked, her voice full of concern as she listened to Casey's recounting of the attack.

"Because I wanted to believe that he didn't mean it," Casey told her, looking into her eyes. "I thought he loved me, Olivia, and I thought my love meant something to him. And he apologized the next morning. He said he was drunk, and that he knew I knew he wasn't like that when he was sober." She paused at the detective's scoff. She was well aware that if there was one thing Olivia Benson hated, it was a man who blamed his actions on what he had to drink. She sighed. "Look, I know I shouldn't have listened to him, but I'm an idiot, okay? I give people too many chances, and it always gets me in trouble."

"Casey, I wasn't going to say that. Please do not be angry with me, sweetie."

Casey sighed, looking down at the bed, focusing on the pattern of the comforter. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I just don't feel like myself. I haven't for months. It's like looking at a shell of my former self, you know? As if I'm pretending to be someone that I will never be."

"I know, honey. It will get better, I promise you. I'm here for you."

"Thank you," Casey replied with a soft smile. She paused for a moment, debating how to continue her recounting of the first time Chance violated her. There were details she held back, things she was far to ashamed to admit to, at least for now. All she knew was that if she were to tell Olivia everything he had ever done to her, and made her do in turn, she would lose what little dignity she had left. There was no way she could admit to being forced to take three of his friends at once, and she especially could not bear to describe the time he came home from the sex shop with the whip, the chains, and the gag. Talking about it meant reliving it, something she had tried to avoid ever since it happened. Pulling out of her thoughts, Casey laid her head once more on Olivia's shoulder and exhaled slowly, attempting to calm her racing thoughts. "He apologized," she went on, "and I believed him. Until that night, when it happened again. That time, after he...did his thing...he rolled over and went to sleep, and moments later, I heard him snoring. But I was afraid to leave, because while he was doing it, he said _You're mine now. And if you ever try to leave me, if you ever try to escape from me, I will find you and make sure you suffer the consequences. And I can assure you, sweetheart, that they will not be pleasant consequences. _I knew he was serious, because as he spoke, he ran the blade of his favorite knife across my stomach and laughed when the blood appeared. That was when he said _Think of this as a warning of what happens when you cross me._ That night, I realized that he had never loved me. It was an epiphany of sorts...I realized he was only with me to get revenge for Charlie. But I couldn't leave, Olivia, or even tell anyone, because I knew he would stay true to his word and kill me. The next morning he forced himself so deeply into my mouth that I choked, and when he got off and I spit it out, he called me a whore. That was when the beatings started. That was when the beatings began to accompany the rapes."

Olivia listened silently, and when Casey finished, she sighed deeply. "Honey, we're going to get him for what he did to you. I will make sure he spends the rest of his very long life in prison, if I have to throw away the key myself." The detective checked the time, noting that the clock next to her bed read 6:45 AM. "Listen. I'm going to go to your office and get your files and your laptop. I will bring them to you, but in return, I want you to promise me two things. One, swear to me that you will not leave this house. And two, promise me that if you have to get out of bed, it better only be for something absolutely necessary. I will pick up some food for you on my way back, so that you don't have to worry about fixing anything for lunch."

"I promise," Casey answered, though she still felt as if she was imposing. However, she knew that arguing with the older woman would get her nowhere, and quite frankly, she was too physically and emotionally drained to even attempt to do so.

Olivia smiled. "Good. I'll be back in a bit. And I promise that when I get to the precinct, Chance is toast. I will not let him get away with what he did to you."

Casey nodded, settling back against the pillows. "Thanks," she murmured. As Olivia turned the light off and exited the room, Casey closed her eyes, falling into a restless sleep within moments. Before she slipped into unconsciousness, she realized that she had never told Olivia what her nightmare was about. Then again, she could always tell her later.

By the time she woke up, it was after three PM. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled when she saw the array of Chinese food on a table next to the bed. She read the note Olivia had left her. _I know Chicken Chow Mein is your favorite, so I bought the largest size they had, along with some fortune cookies and a salad. I also picked up an iced coffee for you. It's in the refrigerator. I don't want you out of bed, though, so I will retrieve it for you when I get home. For now, there is a bottled cola next to your lunch. I hope you eat. I don't want to see you get sick. I need to go question Chance. Relax, Casey. Your laptop and your files are on the bed next to you. I'll be home later. Love, Olivia. _Casey reread the letter several times, then neatly folded it and placed it in her purse. She retrieved her phone and sent a quick thank you text to Olivia, though she knew the detective would be busy and was unlikely to answer for awhile. For now, Casey reached for the plastic fork and opened her lunch. She was going to eat and then work, and hopefully take her mind off of the turmoil that had been her life lately.


	7. Olivia's Determination

_Author's note: I'm sure that, having read the last couple of chapters, I have left everyone confused. This is especially true regarding Chance, I assume? Don't worry, though. This chapter answers all your questions about him, and if you have more, just let me know. But this chapter serves to answer the most confusing question: If Chance escaped, then how is Olivia interrogating him? Wait and see. As always, please review, and enjoy._

As she reached her desk, Olivia unbuttoned her coat and draped it over the back of her chair. Making sure everything was as secure as she had left it, the detective headed for the hall that contained the interrogation rooms. Entering the first door on the left, she closed the door behind her and sighed as Nick turned around to look at her. Olivia walked over to him and gazed through the two way mirror, through which she could see Amanda questioning Chase, who looked immaculate with a clean shaven face and what appeared to be a new suit. "Look at him," she said out loud, her voice full of the contempt she felt.

"I know," Nick answered, nodding. "He has been in there demanding to speak to a man , ranting about how a woman has no right to talk to him, for the last hour."

"That's not what I mean," Olivia informed him, her voice taking on a bitter tone. "He's in there looking like a freaking choir boy, while Casey is pregnant, and her body is covered with bruises on the outside and several broken bones inside."

"Casey's pregnant?" he asked, turning to face her.

Olivia sighed deeply, rubbing her temple in frustration. "Yes." Abruptly, she changed the subject. "How did you catch him?"

"The stupid prick used his credit card. The store called us and held him until I was able to get down there and pick his ass up," Amaro replied. "He really does think no one can touch him."

"Watch me," Olivia answered. She opened the door and stepped inside the drafty room, slamming the door behind her. As both Chance and Amanda looked up, she fixed him with a penetrating stare. He returned it, as she had expected. They continued to glare at each other, neither backing down. It was very similar to the way two vicious dogs stared each other down before a fight to the death. "You have a problem, Chance," Olivia asserted, still not looking away.

"Screw you, bitch," Chance responded. His mouth twisted into a cruel smirk. "You know you can't win this."

"Really?" Olivia asked, perching on the edge of the table. "How about you run your logic by me and I give it my critique?"

Chance leaned closer to her, glaring up at her. "You arrested me in my home, and you assaulted me. I know the law, you bitch. Prepare to watch me walk out of here, having a laugh at your expense."

"You are so messed up that you actually believe you are above everyone," Amanda remarked.

Olivia held up her hand, signaling her to be quiet. This was her interrogation, and she would be damned if she let anyone but herself nail the bastard. As Amanda sat down in the chair across the table from Chance, Olivia shook her head. "We had a warrant, and as for your claim that I unlawfully assaulted you, I walked in on you raping Casey, and to add to the very long list of charges against you, you assaulted a cop."

"You walked in on me making love to my girlfriend,. Just ask her. Ask her how much she loves me, and how much I love her."

Olivia chuckled. "You call it making love?" She grabbed the case file from the edge of the table and opened it, shoving it towards him. "Look what you did to the one you supposedly love." As Chance ignored her, and continued to stare at her instead of listening, Olivia pushed the file closer. "Look at it," she ordered. As Chance looked down at the first photo, Olivia pointed to the image of Casey's neck, which was adorned with a hand print shaped bruise on either side. "You call this love?" Olivia asked again, changing the pictures. This time she pointed to two at the same time, one of the x-ray of Casey's ribs and the other of her face, which was bruised and bloodied, complete with a black eye. Switching it again, she ordered him to look at the pictures of her bruised thighs and, finally, the x-ray of her broken ankle. "Even that's not the worst of it," Olivia said, turning to the final photo in the group, which was Casey's sonogram. "Beating her wasn't good enough for you, was it?" she asked. "You had to further degrade her by getting her pregnant." The detective leaned in closer, so that she was in Chance's face (which was not the most pleasant thing, as she could smell the stench of alcohol on his breath so strongly it was all she could do to not gag). "You still want to claim that you love her?" she demanded. "Or do you want to be a man and take responsibility for what you have done?"

That was the final straw. As soon as the words were out of Olivia's mouth, all hell broke loose. Chance jumped up and tried to squeeze her neck, but both Olivia and Amanda jumped up and held him face down on the table. Fin entered and took him from them. As he was escorted out, Chance shouted "_The whore got everything she deserved. Once I get out of here, she'll get even more!_"

His shouts continued until he was out of earshot. Olivia shook her head and fixed the chair, which had been knocked onto its side during the struggle. She looked at Amanda, who was gazing at her strangely. "Rollins, is something bothering you?" Olivia questioned.

"Uh, no," Amanda answered, looking away.

"Something is bothering you, I can see it in your eyes," Olivia told her.

Amanda sighed, and sat down on the edge of the long black table. "I knew working with the Special Victims Unit would be an emotional roller coaster, but it is times like this that I realize just how much."

"It is not something you can get used to, believe me," Olivia replied. "I've been at this for over a decade now. I've never gotten used to it. Each new victim will break your heart. Especially when it comes down to one of our own getting hurt."

Amanda shook her head, closing her eyes for a moment. "How could someone get that angry?"

Olivia hesitated, unsure how to respond. She knew that the younger woman wanted an answer, but at the same time, it would involve betraying one of Casey's darkest secrets, and Olivia wasn't sure she was willing to do that to the girl she loved. "Um." The detective bit her lip thoughtfully, debating how to satisfy Amanda with an answer that was truthful, but at the same time did not violate Casey's confidence. "Chance is tied to something awful that happened in her past, and something happened in her relationship at the time, something that affected hi,. To make a complicated matter simple, he vowed to get revenge against her and he carried out his word."

"But what happened to make him hate her so much? Did she hurt someone he loved?"

Olivia shook her head. "No," she said quietly. "Someone she loved hurt her. I'm sorry I can't tell you more, but it's something she told me six years ago that I promised I would never tell anyone." She reached out and gently touched Amanda's shoulder. "Listen, I need to go take care of a couple of errands. Thanks for your help with the questioning."

"I didn't do much," Amanda said quietly.

Olivia paused at the door. "You were my partner in here. Thank you." With a soft smile, the brunette stepped out of the room and shut the door behind her, then headed out of the hallway.

_"Chase is in the tombs."_

Olivia was startled out of her thoughts. She looked up and managed a soft smile when she saw Fin standing over her. "Thanks, Fin," she said softly.

Fin nodded and perched on the edge of her desk. He surveyed the multitude of open files everywhere in front of her. "Olivia, what is all this?"

"Just researching," Olivia answered vaguely as she hit print on yet another document, bringing the grand total up to a couple of hundred in the last several hours.

"I can see that, but what exactly are you researching?" Fin asked.

Olivia sighed. "Normally, Casey is the one who tells _us_ if there are any extra things we can charge a perp with. Since she's the victim this time, she can't very well do it. Therefore, I am researching every possible law I can think of that can apply to what he did to her, and am then trying to decide if there is enough evidence to convict him of each of these things."

Fin picked up one of the stapled packets and scanned it briefly, then looked at her. "You're going to try to charge him with attempted murder? Olivia, we can't prove that his intent was anything other than raping her."

"He beat her so severely that it will be months before she fully recovers. And when I got there, he had told her he was going to kill her. On top of that, he had a gun and a knife on hand while he raped her. If that's not enough evidence for attempted murder, I don't know what is."

"Fair enough," Fin conceded as he lifted another paper from the chaos that was Olivia's desk. "This one makes no sense. You're going to attempt to have him charged with unlawful possession? Of what?"

Olivia opened her desk drawer and held up one of the evidence bags. She handed it to Fin, who peeked inside. "Last time I checked, GHB is an unlawful substance. He raped her, assaulted her, attempted to kill her, assaulted me, and possessed an illegal substance. That's five crimes already, Fin, and CSU is still at the house searching."

"Olivia, I agree, but I still think you are too emotionally attached to this case," Fin told her. "The defense will try to argue our objectivity, and likely make a case for planted evidence."

Olivia nodded. "I'm way ahead of you," she replied. "I'm ready for the torrent of accusations." She stood up from her desk and looked at him. "And I get this way about all of our victims."

"I know," he conceded.

Olivia sighed, hitting the power button on her computer. "I was also trying to find anyone else he may have raped."

"And?"

"And I think I found someone," Olivia answered, handing him a closed case file. As he opened it and read the information, she elaborated. "Three years ago, a girl he met at a bar turned him down when he suggested they spend the night together. The next morning, a call came in from a victim crying that she had been raped by a man named Chance. But they could never prove it, because he wore a condom."

"And it was in Brooklyn, that's why it wasn't our case. But why wear a condom with her and not Casey? Rapists usually get smarter, not dumber."

Olivia shook her head. "I guess Chance figured Casey had done something worse than Emily, so she got the worst punishment. And he tricked Casey into a relationship first, as if he figured he would get away with it if they were together. Emily was raped because she turned him down. Casey was raped because in his mind, it was her who killed his brother. In his mind, she obviously did something worse."

"How did his brother tie into this?"

Fin knew about Charlie, but all he knew was that a man had been found dead with only Casey's business card on him after being hit by a car, a man who was Chance's brother. He didn't know the gory details, nor, in Olivia's mind, did he need to. Instead of answering, the detective grabbed her coat, quickly tidied her desk, and said "Let's go."

"Where?"

"We have a victim to interview," Olivia replied, already half out the door.


	8. How I Love Thee

_Author's note: I know that the last several chapters may not have made a lot of sense, and I know I have probably left you all confused. Firstly, I want to apologize for the typos in chapter 7, when I referred to Chance as Chase by mistake. I make no excuses, but I will say that I do proofread things, I just do not always pick up everything. I tried four times to re-upload the chapter after fixing it, and it still hasn't taken. But I will keep trying, because that is bothering me. One confusion that was intentional, however, was Olivia telling Fin about the rape victim and then saying Emily and yet never telling him her name first. This was intentional, as it is meant to demonstrate how scatterbrained she is feeling. I know what I'm doing, I promise. Everything will all make sense soon. As always, thank you so much for reading, and reviews are greatly appreciated. Whether there is something you like about a chapter, or don't like, or if there is just something you want me to work in, I can handle anything. Read, enjoy, and know how much I appreciate it. Now for the chapter. =)_

Olivia stepped out of the car and closed the passenger door. As Fin joined her, she sighed and surveyed the area, then focused her attention on the enormous house in front of them. "I'm not sure if it is the best idea to remind her of the assault, especially if she has moved on."

"Not all victims continue to hope for justice, and they just give up," Fin agreed, nodding.

"But some never give up," Olivia answered, placing her hands on her hips as she contemplated the best way to go about questioning the young girl, who was now older, but still only twenty three. After several moments, the detective remarked "It's now or never." Without looking back at her partner, she quickly climbed the pristine white stairs outside of the house, as Fin followed close behind. Raising her hand, Olivia knocked on the front door, which was painted a beautiful crimson red. She turned to look at Fin after several moments of no response. "Nobody home," she guessed.

Just as she turned to leave, a voice from inside the house called "Who's there?"

"It's the police, Ma'am, can you open the door please?" Olivia requested.

The door slowly opened, but the chain remained intact. A pair of dark blue eyes peeked out apprehensively. "May I see some identification?"

Olivia offered her badge for proof, and after it was scrutinized for several long moments, it was handed back. "We are here to speak to a Miss Emily Adams. Is she here?"

"Yes, that's me. Am I in trouble?" It was obvious from the girl's slightly squeaky tone that she was nervous.

But Olivia shook her head comfortingly. "No. Miss Adams, my name is Detective Olivia Benson, and this is my partner, Odafin Tutuola. We are here to ask you about something that happened three years ago. You called the police about an attack and a threat on your life."

"It was a mistake," Emily answered, clearly lying through her teeth. "I was wrong to do so. My boyfriend and I got into a fight, and the neighbors called the police, and when they showed up, I told them he had hit me, but it was all a misunderstanding. I'm sorry for wasting your time."

The door began to close, but Olivia's foot stopped it. There was no way she was going to let Chance walk on multiple attacks. "Miss Adams, we really need to talk to you about that night. You need to know that we believe you, and we are not here to dispute that. We are here because he hurt someone else, and we have reopened your case. We need your help to bring him to justice."

"I'm sorry I can't be of more help. Now please leave, before I report you for harassment." And before Olivia had a chance to respond, the door slammed in her face.

The detective sighed, turning to Fin. "I can't blame her for not wanting to talk about it. After all, her case sat on someone's desk for years, and nobody did anything. She has given up. She probably thinks nobody gives a damn about what happened to her, or she just wants to move on with her life, or something else."

"What do you suggest doing?"

Olivia shrugged. "I need to swing by my place and check on Casey, and then I am going to head to Brooklyn SVU and see if they have anything that can help us. Are you coming with or do you want me to drop you off at the squad?"

"I have a meeting with the mother of one of my victims at four, and it is now almost three, so I need to get back."

Olivia nodded, somewhat relieved. She had a lot to get done, and while she did not mind having the help of a partner, she also preferred to do everything she had to do alone. If it were Elliot, things would be different. Olivia paused after opening the car door as that thought ran through her mind. _Where had that come from? _Shaking her head, the brunette sat down and closed the door, buckling her seat belt as Fin started the engine. Maybe she was more tired than she thought.

_"Casey, I'm home, are you still here?"_ Olivia asked as she entered her apartment, which she immediately noticed looked considerably different than when she had left for work. A quick glance around the living room revealed several oddities. The magazines she had left sprawled on the coffee table were bookmarked, but closed and organized into a perfect little stack. The dishes that had been left next to the magazines were gone, replaced with a pretty flower vase, and the blanket that Olivia had carelessly tossed onto the couch was folded and draped neatly over the back of the sofa. Olivia shook her head in disbelief, realizing that Casey was indeed a neat freak. However, instead of being annoyed at the normally nerve wracking femininity around her, Olivia found it sexy. The beautiful ADA was very talented at a variety of things, that much was clear.

But her admiration was quickly eclipsed by frustration. Casey had been cleaning, which meant she was out of bed, which meant she was not relaxing, as Olivia had asked her to do. Torn between the urge to thank the beautiful redhead and one to be angry with her for not taking care of herself, Olivia headed towards the bedroom, deciding she would figure it out on the way. She quietly opened the bedroom door and stepped inside, her eye immediately falling upon the sleeping beauty in her bed. Casey was laying on her back, one hand resting on her stomach, her head turned slightly to the side. Olivia stood silently in the doorway, admiring how beautiful the younger woman was, even while asleep. She had just turned to leave when she heard a quiet moan. Thinking that Casey was simply mumbling in her sleep, Olivia started to head out once more, but the redhead's sleepy words stopped her.

"Olivia," Casey mumbled. Olivia faced her again, still convinced that she was merely talking in her sleep. "Don't go," Casey murmured. "Don't...leave..."

Olivia knew that, now that her assumptions were confirmed, she should let the young woman sleep peacefully, but at the same time, she felt rooted to the spot. In her sleep, Casey continued to whisper her name and beg her to stay. Olivia made sure the room was as dark as it could be, then untied her shoes. Rather than dropping them on the floor as she normally would have done, the detective placed them neatly next to the nightstand. Shaking her head softly at how different this was from her normal routine, she laid down next to Casey. Making sure the covers were fully covering the redhead's tender body, Olivia slowly wrapped her arm around her, hoping it would soothe her. Her worries that she was doing something she shouldn't were quickly appeased when Casey laid her head on her chest. Moments later, the attorney's body relaxed in Olivia's embrace, and it became apparent that she was sound asleep once more. Olivia sighed deeply. If only the beautiful woman would love her in the waking world. She knew she needed to head to Brooklyn, but for now, Casey needed her more.

"Olivia?" Casey asked quietly.

Olivia opened her eyes slowly, realizing she had fallen asleep. She looked over at Casey, who was still comfortably situated in her arms. "Hey," she murmured. Feeling awkward for heir current position, she began to pull away, but Casey's quiet plea stopped her.

"Don't go," Casey whispered.

This time, Olivia knew the attorney was awake. "I won't go," she assured her, smiling softly. "Did you sleep alright?" It seemed like a ridiculous question, given the circumstances, but she was trying to relax Casey before the visuals started in her conscious world too.

"I slept okay," Casey answered with a gentle shrug that was made somewhat difficult by the fact that she was still in Olivia's arms. "As well as I could, I guess, you know, given the dreams and the memories...but um...it's getting better, I suppose."

"Are you sure?"

Casey nodded, a little too quickly. "I'm sure," she promised, and Olivia knew she was not telling the full truth, but she decided not to press the issue. "About the living room and dining room..."

Olivia smiled softly, knowing the ADA wanted to change the subject. For now, she accepted the unmade request. "You did a really amazing job," she complimented. "I wasn't sure if I was even in the right apartment when I walked in."

"I needed to take my mind off of things, and cleaning has always relaxed me," Casey replied. "I'm glad you like it, Olivia. I was worried that you would be angry with me."

"Angry, no. Grateful, yes. But also a little disappointed," Olivia answered. "You promised you were going to stay in bed and take it easy. How are you ever going to get better if you keep doing things like this?" she questioned.

Casey sighed. "Sorry," she mumbled. "I just didn't want to sit around and fantasize. Two things help me calm down: working and cleaning. I tried preparing for an upcoming hearing, but that didn't work, so the next option was cleaning. Besides, Olivia, the apartment was a mess," she offered with a tiny grin.

"You try spending twenty five hours of every day at work and then tell me you have time to alphabetize the pots and pans," Olivia replied, chuckling.

Casey giggled. "First of all, there's only twenty four hours in a day, and second of all, you don't alphabetize pots and pans, you sort them by size. You alphabetize DVDs."

"Okay, whatever you say, Case," Olivia laughed. "Hey, while you're awake, I have a question for you. Do you feel up to it?"

Casey nodded. "Ask me anything," she offered with a smile. "I'll answer as best I can."

Olivia returned her smile and bit her lip thoughtfully. She knew that this probably was not the best time to discuss this, given everything that Casey had been through, but at the same time, she knew that if she didn't ask now, she would probably never have the courage to. That logic in mind, the detective, in a manner highly out of character of her normal brooding, generally unable to form close, long lasting relationships self, took a deep breath and laid her thoughts on the table. "What would you do if you were in love with somebody, but barriers kept getting in the way and you had no idea how to surpass them?" she asked.

"It depends on the type of barrier," Casey answered. "What sort did you have in mind?"

"Well, let's say that it was against the rules to be in love with someone, but the person was anyway. And if they weren't even sure if the other person was like them, much less attracted to them."

Casey slowly, and carefully sat up so that she could look into the detective's eyes. "Well, if I were going through that, then I would just ask them. If this person gets shot down, it would hurt, but it couldn't possibly hurt worse than going through their life without ever knowing what could have been. Besides, there's always a chance the second person shares their feelings."

"And if the person is a chicken who can face anything that faces them, anything at all except falling in love?"

Casey smiled softly. "Then it's time to change that," she stated.

"Okay...this person that is having this conflict is...me," Olivia admitted, feeling uncharacteristically shy at having admitted that.

Apparently Casey was too tired to figure that out on her own, because she quickly sat up and looked at Olivia again. "I see," she murmured thoughtfully. Then she met the brunette's chocolate brown gaze. They locked eyes, and Casey asked the question Olivia had been dreading. "If uh...if this conflicted person is you...then who are you...in love with?"


	9. Finally

Olivia sighed deeply when she heard Casey's question. Casey could see in the brunette's eyes that she was trying to decide how to answer her, and she wondered why. But she had to know the answer to her question; it scared her at times, but she knew that she had feelings for Olivia. That in itself worried her for two reasons: she had never been in love with a woman before (she was straight, after all), and, furthermore, everyone knew how forbidden it was for a prosecutor to date a detective she worked with. It was just another excuse for the defense to use at trial, and Casey knew a jury could buy anything at times, no matter how silly it sounded. "Olivia, you can tell me. I won't judge you. You have known me for over ten years, and you should know by now that I do not judge people who do not deserve it, and I especially would never make fun of _you._"

"I know," Olivia answered, her gaze meeting the redhead's once more. "Just promise me you won't get up and run away from me if I tell you."

Partly because she was being serious and partly because she wanted to assuage the older woman's worries, Casey replied "If it makes you feel better, I'm not exactly _able_ to get up and run in the other direction. I mean I suppose I could, at the very best, crawl, but I don't think that would be very efficient." She managed a soft smile as she spoke.

Olivia chuckled, and Casey could see that the tension was relieved, at least partly. "Okay. Casey, I am just going to shoot for the stars here and tell you the full, honest truth. I will completely understand if you never want to speak to me again, but not knowing is just as bad as being rejected." Olivia paused, and suddenly, things clicked in Casey's mind. _Was Olivia saying what she thought she was saying?_ The attorney tried to contain her happiness, for fear of being wrong, but the excitement only intensified as Olivia began to speak again. "Casey, it's you. I am in love with you, against all common sense, against all logic."

Having her thoughts confirmed, Casey know found herself too speechless to think of anything to say, much less say it. She sat there, blankly staring into Olivia, or, perhaps past her would be a more accurate description. Olivia misunderstood the silence and stood up. "Damn it," the detective snapped, standing abruptly from the bed. "Tell the Assistant District Attorney you're in love with her, when you know damn well she doesn't like women. Smooth, Olivia. Real fucking smooth." As if forgetting that Casey was even there, she headed into the bathroom and slammed the door.

Casey flinched as the slam reverberated throughout the bedroom. "Great," she murmured. She laid on her back and sighed, staring up at the ceiling above the bed. Falling in love with one of her detectives was a really illogical thing to do. But, at the same time, Olivia had just told her she felt the same way, which meant there would be little harm in admitting her own feelings...and yet, it was a known fact that Olivia Benson was infamous for failed relationships. For that matter, so was Casey. The redhead sighed, closing her eyes as thought after thought sped through her mind, until so many arguments and counterarguments were swirling that she felt as if her head was going to explode. Finally, she realized that Olivia had saved her life, had let her stay here in her apartment; in fact, she had insisted on it. If that wasn't love, then Casey realized she had no idea what was. That thought in mind, she placed her heart on the table and called out "Olivia? I wasn't silent for a bad reason. I want you to know that."

The door opened quickly, revealing Olivia, who smiled softly. "Are you sure?" she asked.

Casey nodded. "Yes, I'm sure," she answered. As Olivia walked over to the bed and sat down next to her, Casey moved closer to her, wincing at the pain that shot through her body. Slowly, she laid her head on the older woman's shoulder. "Olivia, I...I love you...too," she murmured.

"I'm glad," Olivia responded, wrapping her arm around the beautiful redhead. "Am I being too forward?"

"No," Casey replied, smiling at her.

"It's just...you're a lady, and I want to treat you as such."

Casey rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to giggle. "Well, in that case, there are certain things you need to know. Firstly, think of me as your personal kitten. I require a lot of attention, but trust me, it won't interfere with your job or anything. Furthermore, if we do in fact enter a relationship, I ask for one thing above all others." Without waiting for Olivia to inquire as to what she was talking about, Casey continued. "I've been cheated on before...by many men. If you can promise me that you will never betray me, emotionally, physically, or otherwise, then I will be with you. But first..."

"I promise you that I will be loyal to you above all," Olivia answered, smiling as she looked into Casey's eyes. "But first," she agreed, acknowledging the attorney's words, "We need to discuss the consequences of becoming romantically involved."

Casey nodded. "Yes. I suppose we should start with the obvious. You're a cop and I am an ADA. Our relationship is practically illegal. If anyone found out, one or both of us could possibly be asked to transfer somewhere, and that's being optimistic. On the extreme scale, one or both of us could be fired."

"Then we date in secret," Olivia suggested.

"That is easier said than done, Olivia," Casey murmured. "It would entail constantly sneaking around, and checking behind us all the time to make sure no one we know is there before we kiss. Do you really want that?"

"Well, no," Olivia conceded. "But it is the only hope for us to be together. I don't want to hide our feelings from everyone, but if that is what it takes to be with you, then I will do it. I thought I lost my chance when you were censured four years ago and moved away...I will not take that chance again. And when I found out what Chance was doing to you...I made a promise to never let anyone hurt you again."

Casey managed a tiny smile as she listened to Olivia. She had missed the older woman most of all after leaving the city four years prior. She had missed Olivia more than any of the other detectives, and the pain became even worse when she finally returned only a year before, but the one person she was most excited to see was not there. "That's another thing, Olivia," she replied quietly, her emerald gaze dropping to the floor. "Even if we do get together in secret, I...I don't know if I am fully ready for a relationship again. He hurt me so badly that there have been times when I wondered if I would ever find anyone who would not break my heart or my body, or both. I just..." Casey trailed off, unsure how best to phrase what she needed to say. "I guess I am scared," she mumbled. "I'm afraid of getting hurt again, and I trust you, believe me, I do, but I...there are some things I am just not ready for. Like...sex or...Olivia, I...don't even know if I can kiss without getting flashbacks. I just don't want to hurt you."

"I promise you that we will take things at your pace. You control when we do what, and if ever you want me to stop anything, even a kiss, simply tell me, and I will. You don't have to worry about making me angry, because that won't happen. I understand, alright? I understand."

Casey nodded slowly, loving how supportive Olivia was. "Okay," she murmured. "Then, uh, in that case...you can officially consider me to be your girlfriend."

"I love you," Olivia murmured in a husky whisper.

"I love you, too," Casey replied, in a whisper so soft it could have been mistaken for the wind. Slowly, she began to lean forward, her heart beating faster in her chest from the anticipation and the jumble of excited nerves. "Kiss me," she begged.

Olivia gently lifted her chin and planted a very soft, very tender kiss on the younger woman's lips. After several seconds, she pulled back, smiling gently.

"No flasbacks," Casey announced happily.

"No chances either," Olivia answered, always the practical one. "I'm going to go to the store and pick up some dinner. What do you want?"

Casey shrugged. "Chicken sounds good. I can cook it."

"Oh no, young lady, you are staying right there," Olivia ordered firmly. She kissed Casey gently once more and stood up, then looked down into the attorney's emerald eyes. "I mean it this time," she warned.

"I know," Casey said. "I'll stay right here," she assured the detective.

"Good girl," Olivia responded, planting a soft kiss on the top of the younger woman's head. "Okay, I'm going to run to the store and pick up dinner. I should be back in an hour tops. Do you need or want anything else?"

Casey contemplated the question for a moment, debating whether she wanted anything in particular. "If they have any sweet tea on sale, can you pick some up?"

"Sure thing," Olivia answered with a smile.

Casey grinned. "Thank you. My credit card is in my wallet in my purse. The pin number is-"

Olivia cut her off. "Casey, you're not paying. I told you, don't worry about it. Just lay down and relax. If you want to take a nap, go ahead. I will wake you when dinner is ready."

"But I'm not-" As she spoke, a yawn snuck up on Casey, who quickly covered her mouth. So much for that. Realizing she had no hope of arguing now, she simply nodded in agreement. "Okay, I will take a nap."

Olivia nodded and kissed her one final time before closing the bedroom door. A few moments later, Casey heard the sound of the front door closing. She laid on her back and looked up at the ceiling. She knew that most people would say she was on the rebound, and that was why she was in a new relationship so soon after the last one ended. But the truth was, she had loved Olivia for years, regardless of her confusion over it. She had wondered for years what it would be like to fall asleep in the older woman's arms at night, to hear her say "I love you" and mean it for _her. _But she had gotten with Chance, a decision that she now regretted and wished she could change. Chance had hurt her, placing her on the brink of inability to trust anyone, but at the same time, Casey knew that if she avoided getting with Olivia because of _him_, it would give him the ability to hurt her in one more way. That was one thing she was unwilling to sit back and watch happen.

And the fact that Olivia was so understanding about how slow things would have to progress in their partnership affirmed Casey's decision. She was, officially, after years of longing and waiting, Casey Novak, girlfriend of Detective Olivia Benson. And that was the best feeling the young attorney had ever experienced. She had always wanted a fairy tale relationship. Only, instead of getting a prince, she had found her queen.


	10. A Small Step Forward

Casey yawned, curling up on her side and snuggling further under the covers. She was in the half state between asleep and awake, but she was cold, and had no desire to leave the cozy warmth of Olivia's bed. As she turned over and inhaled, the scent of fried chicken filled her nostrils. Slowly, Casey opened her eyes and looked towards the bedroom doorway, where Olivia was standing, holding a tray of assorted goodies. Casey smiled softly. "Hey," she murmured. "What time is it?"

"You were asleep for a couple of hours," Olivia answered. "I checked in on you when I got back, but you looked so peaceful that I wanted to let you sleep for a bit longer, and I used the time to prepare some tea, coffee, and various desserts."

Casey smiled softly, raising herself into a sitting position and propping up against some pillows. Olivia's bed was smaller than hers, and if she had to guess she would say it was a twin, but it was extremely comfortable. The upside was that the less room there was in the bed, the closer they would have to lay together, which was an appealing prospect indeed. Casey, pulling out of her thoughts, watched as Olivia turned the bedroom light on and carried the tray of food over, setting it on a TV tray at the foot of the bed. Casey assumed the older woman had set up the TV tray while she was still asleep. "Olivia," she murmured, surveying the plethora of food. Staring back at her was a heaping plate of fried chicken, an extra large pepperoni pizza, a second extra large pizza, this one with every possible meat and pepper, and various desserts, including chocolate brownies, peanut butter cookies, and a beautiful cake with pink frosting that had Casey's initials in black. There was also an enormous pitcher of iced tea and two accompanying bowls: one of sugar, and one of lemons.

"The iced tea is store bought. All I did was pour it into a pitcher, because that seems more romantic. Trust me, you don't want to know what my homemade tea tastes like," Olivia offered with a smile.

Casey giggled. "Let me guess. The big bad Detective Benson drinks her tea straight from the pitcher while watching football?" she joked, grinning.

"While watching football?" Olivia laughed. "No. But yes, I am guilty of drinking it straight from the container sometimes," she admitted. "I hope you don't think any less of me."

Casey shook her head. "Never. I could never think any less of you," she replied, smiling softly. "I mean, on anyone else, I would find that gross, but on you...it's kind of sexy," she said, looking into Olivia's beautiful chocolate brown eyes.

"Well, in that case, let's eat," Olivia responded, grabbing a slice of pizza from the box on the left. She pulled a sausage off and bit into it, groaning softly at how delicious it was. "Want some?" she asked, her mouth still partially full.

Casey rolled her eyes playfully. "No, thank you," she answered. "I don't normally eat 'The Works,' because I don't much care for ham, sausage, or pineapple. But I love pepperoni," she added, reaching for a slice from the plain pepperoni pizza and placing it on her plate. She picked up a knife and fork and began to cut off a tiny bite. Smiling, Casey popped it into her mouth and chewed slowly, loving the taste of the mildly spicy pepperoni. She chewed slowly and paused when she noticed Olivia watching her. "What's wrong?" she asked after swallowing.

"Nothing," Olivia answered, smiling. "I think it's really cut that you cut your pizza and eat it with a fork and knife."

Casey blushed. "It's just something my mother taught me when I was a little girl," she replied. "My parents were always huge on manners. No elbows on the table, no pants to school, that sort of thing. Not that I ever wore pants anyway, but you get the idea."

Olivia nodded. "We really did have two very different childhoods. Your parents were harsh on you because they wanted you to become well mannered, whereas my mother never cared what I did as long as it wasn't anything that she was as a break for my independence."

"I'm sorry," Casey murmured, her gaze falling to her plate. She felt awful for being so thoughtless. Of all the things to talk about, she had to go with the strict rules she had gone up with. He guilt was doubled by the fact that Casey was not a selfish person, not by any means, and she felt extra bad for acting like one.

"Casey, it's okay, don't worry about it," Olivia assured her. "I am the one who started the discussion about manners, if you think about it." The detective poured herself a glass of tea and stirred a single teaspoon of sugar into it, with no lemon. She took a large sip and placed it on the nightstand on her side of the bed and looked at Casey once more. "You know, I was thinking on the way to the store, and while I shopped, and again on the way home."

"Oh?" Casey asked. "About what?" Her curiosity was getting the better of her.

"About you, silly," Olivia answered, chuckling. "I was thinking about you, and how proud I am to say you're my girlfriend. I have wanted you since the day I met you. Every time I saw you with someone else, I felt more and more sure that you would never want me, and that you were not even a lesbian in the first place."

Casey sighed softly. "Olivia, I have heard rumors about you for years, mostly two: that you are gay and that you and Alex Cabot had an affair going on. And I thought, what would be the point of even hoping to be with you, especially if both of those were true? Cabot and I have nothing in common, save our career, and I assumed if you loved her, you could never love me. Then there was the fact that I always thought I was straight, so what the heck was I doing falling in love with a woman?"

"Casey, those rumors about me and Alex are true, but our relationship stopped when she entered the Witness Protection Program. She wanted us to pick up where we left off when she came back to testify against Liam Connors, and then asked again when she came back after Kim Greylek left SVU. But I couldn't bring myself to be with her again...because my heart belonged to a certain redhead...who wasn't in town, I admit, but regardless, the heart wants what the heart wants."

For the second time that night, Casey felt herself blush again. She had never heard the older woman be so candid and open about her feelings, or anything that was in her heart, for that matter. Everyone thought of Olivia Benson as a rock, impossible to break and tough as nails. Casey looked into Olivia's eyes. "Who do you want now?" she asked, half excited for the answer, while also half afraid. Olivia grinned. "You, Case. I want you," she answered. Leaning forward, she placed a gentle kiss on the redhead's lips and moaning softly as she did so. She pulled back, gazing into the younger woman's beautiful emerald green eyes. "I want you," Olivia repeated.

Casey smiled brightly, feeling her heart soar in the cheesy way she imagined the heroine felt in sappy love stories. "I want you too, Olivia," she whispered, leaning towards her girlfriend and returning her kiss with an equal amount of passion. "I love you."

"I love you too. Now eat up, before it gets cold," Olivia ordered. As she spoke, she placed her hand on Casey's stomach and smiled at her. "Have you thought about what you're going to name the baby?"

Casey nodded. "If it's a girl, I want to name her Nicole, after your middle name. If it's a boy, I don't know yet. I mean I don't care what the baby is, because I will love it no matter what, but I've always wanted a daughter, especially as my first born."

"I understand," Olivia murmured. "Just know that as long as it is a healthy baby, I am happy. And as for the name, come here, baby, you deserve another kiss." Olivia wrapped her arms around Casey's neck and pulled her closer, planting a gentle kiss on her that was soft, but also full of an incredible amount of passion.

Casey moaned very softly, reaching for a lock of her girlfriend's dark brown hair and tugging just hard enough to convey her desire for the kiss to continue. But Olivia pulled back suddenly as Casey tried to deepen it. "Sorry," Casey mumbled. "I shouldn't have done that."

"No, it's okay. I want to take things further, Casey, but it's too soon after everything that happened to you. When you feel completely ready for me to take things further, all you have to do is tell me, and I will, but only when you are ready. The last thing I want to do is hurt you physically, emotionally, mentally, or any other way." Olivia reached for a chocolate covered strawberry and held it to Casey's lips. "I bought these especially for you, because I know how much you like them. Open."

Casey did as she was told, and Olivia slowly pushed the strawberry into her mouth, watching as Casey took a tiny bite, chewed carefully and then swallowed. "Yum."

Olivia took the uneaten half of the strawberry and popped it into her own mouth. "Mmmmm," she echoed, looking into Casey's eyes. "You're so beautiful," she murmured.

"You're pretty damn sexy yourself," Casey answered with a soft smile, reaching for her tea. For the first time in a long time, her mind had been taken off of Chance and everything that had happened. At least for the moment.


	11. House Call

_Author's note: Okay, I will keep this story up. I want to clarify something. I am not one of those writers who goes around begging for reviews, because trust me, I find that as ridiculous as anyone else does. But when a story gets few reviews, that is a signal to the author that it is either unpopular, or nobody likes it enough to review. Either way, the author feels like continuing to write the unpopular story is a waste of time and energy. But I will keep this up, and I hope everyone reads it. I don't write just for the sake of writing...I actually do plan, you know. =) Thanks for reading and reviewing. Now, we have a chapter to get to don't we? Enjoy =))._

Casey snuggled under the covers, so that every part of her body was covered except her head. The fact that Olivia had turned the heat on maximum had done little to ease the frigid cold in the bedroom. Casey refused to think logically, because if she had, she would have realized that it had been five minutes, which was not nearly enough time for the room to heat up. She turned her head and looked at Olivia, who was laying down next to her, her eyes closed. "Are you asleep?" she asked quietly.

"Resting," Olivia answered without opening her eyes. "Are you okay?"

Casey nodded and moved closer to the older woman, laying her head on her chest. She smiled when she felt Olivia's arms wrap protectively around her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, baby, what's on your mind?" Olivia asked.

Casey thought about how to answer for a few moments before responding. "I'm sorry for not telling you about Chance. I was too afraid, though, that's all. One night when he thought I had told someone, he took his favorite knife, the one he usually used for gutting fish, and ran it across my abdomen, my thigh, and even my breasts..." Casey sighed, biting her lip as the tears flooded her emerald eyes. "And that was when I was telling the truth, when I truly had not told a single person about what he did to me. I realized if he could do that to me when he _thought_ I betrayed him, I was too terrified about what he could do if he _knew _that I had told."

"I understand, Casey, I really do. I just wish you had come to me sooner. What if he had killed you?" Olivia asked, in a manner characteristic of her mother hen tendencies. "It is men like him that deserve a special kind of castration."

Casey resisted the urge to smile. It was a serious conversation, but there was still something sexy in Olivia's threats to castrate men. "Yeah," she agreed quietly. She looked down at her stomach and gently placed her hand on it. "I've always wanted to be a mother," she murmured. "I never pictured it happening like this, though."

"Well, regardless of how you got this way, I will be here every step of the way." Olivia placed her hand over Casey's and smiled as she gazed into the younger woman's emerald green eyes. "I will support you in whatever decisions you make, and when this baby is born, I will be here for her too."

Casey nodded, laying her head on the brunette's chest once more. "You're the best girlfriend anyone could ever ask for," she whispered, her fingertips tracing a gentle pattern across Olivia's torso. A month ago she had worried that the only way she would ever escape the relationship with Chance was in a coffin, but Olivia had saved her, rescuing her from whatever horrible fate could have befallen her. And even though most people wouldn't have entered a relationship so soon, Casey was willing to put her heart on the line one final time. Everyone knew that it was impossible to win the game without playing. And the fact that Olivia was so loving towards her, so understanding, and so willing to do things at her pace affirmed Casey's decision. Yawning, the attorney closed her eyes, slipping quickly into the unconscious world.

"OPEN THE DOOR, NOW!"

Casey moaned softly as Olivia laid her on the bed and stood up. "Olivia," she murmured sleepily. "Don't leave me."

"I'll be back," Olivia promised, placing a gentle kiss on the younger woman's lips. She opened the bedroom door and exited, walking quickly into the living room and to the front door.

Casey looked at the nightstand, noticing that the detective had taken her gun with her. She knew it was a 'just in case' policy, though she had a feeling Olivia had taken her gun to confront the surprise visitor especially because of her.

"NOW, BITCH!"

Olivia sighed, leaning against the door. "We can do this all day, but you are not coming in."

"This doesn't concern you, you bitch."

Olivia quickly checked her gun to make sure it was loaded and ready to use if she needed to. "It does concern me, and you're trespassing," she answered calmly.

Listening in on the conversation, Casey realized that her worst fears had been confirmed: it was Chance at Olivia's door, and he was there for her. She whimpered and slid further under the covers, as if it would make her disappear enough to protect her. Fear had a tendency to remove a person's ability to reason logically and think rationally. Casey could feel her chest tighten up, her vision blur, and her breath escape her, which were the telltale signs of an anxiety attack. She whimpered softly, trying to focus so she could hear the conversation.

Olivia seemed to be getting more and frustrated with each passing second. Casey heard her secure the chain and the lock and throw her body weight into guarding the door, and a few seconds later she heard the gun click. "How did you get here?"

"Easy. That lady security guard was quite stubborn, but I broke her...I told you, Detective, I have ways of getting even the most stubborn woman to bend to my every whim. I love hearing them beg for forgiveness, and then for me not to hurt them, until they realize that what they should be begging for are their lives, at which point it is far too late to change my mind. Now let me in. I don't want to have to hurt you too."

Olivia groaned as the door shook again. She silently sent an SOS text to Fin and Amaro, and continued to hold the door shut. "If you think I'm letting you in here, Chance, you have another thing coming. And I can assure you that escaping prison is a felony. By escaping prison, you have earned yourself more prison time."

"Not if I can convince everyone that Casey is a lying little bitch who makes things up for attention. And once she admits that, I will consider taking her back, and then we will resume our happy life with our baby, with no interruptions. Maybe I'll even take her somewhere nice..like Paris."

In one continuous move, Olivia opened the door, dragged Chance inside, knocked him to the floor and pinned him, preventing him from getting up at all. "You sick bastard," she growled, glaring down at him. "Do you really think you're going to get away with this?" She quickly searched him, finding his hidden knife, and tossed it across the room, where it landed, presumably behind the couch. "You are going to spend the rest of your miserable, pathetic life, behind bars. And when you get raped, every day, maybe you will see what you have put Casey through."

Chance attempted to punch Olivia, but the detective was too quick for him, and blocked the attempted assault. "If Casey wants to live, she will go to the judge and say she was desperate for attention, and she didn't mean to hurt me. Otherwise, she knows what happens when she's a bad girl. And she also knows that I would never hurt her on purpose, and that everything I have ever done is out of my incredible love for her."

Olivia scoffed, letting out a low growl as he attempted to squirm. She kept her knee on top of his groin while her hands kept his arms pinned roughly to the ground. Quickly, she stood up and forced him onto his stomach so that she could handcuff his hands behind his back. "Chance Fitzgerald, you are under arrest for breaking and entering, escape in the first degree, assaulting a police officer, and attempted rape. Add those to the very long list of charges against you."

"I'll get out again, bitch," Chance warned. "I did it once before."

"Yeah?" Olivia asked. "You know what, forget getting raped by your fellow perverts. Instead, I will make sure you are placed in solitary, and when I find your other victims, and believe me, I will, you are going to find yourself staring at a brick wall for the rest of your very long life!" She looked up just as the front door opened and Fin entered, flanked by several uniformed officers as backup.

Fin took Chance from Olivia and held onto him tightly. "Is everyone okay here, Detective Benson?" he asked.

"Now we are," Olivia answered. As Fin began to lead the sick freak out, Olivia said "Wait." She raised herself to her full height and glared into Chance's eyes. "Enjoy your free time," she growled. "It will give you time to think about what you have done. Maybe you'll develop a heart in the process, or at least a set of balls." And with those words hanging in the air, she watched as Fin and the uniforms led Chance out of the apartment, and closed the door behind them. She waited until his yells had faded to the point where she couldn't hear them anymore, and made her way back into the bedroom. She paused when she noticed the lump under the covers on her bed, and sighed when she heard the quiet sobbing. "Casey?" she asked, gingerly perching on the edge of the bed. "He's gone, once and for all. I promise you he'll never be back." She placed her hand on the small of Casey's back. The initial touch made Casey jump, but once she recognized Olivia's touch, she slowly relaxed, though she continued to cry.

"I...thought...it was...over..." she whimpered, her cries turning into a combination of hiccups, gasps, and sobbing.

Olivia sighed. "I know. But it is now, I promise. Once the judge hears everything he has done, there is no way he will ever get out. You will be safe, and so will the baby. Do you trust me?"

The lump that was Casey's head nodded from under the blankets.

Olivia smiled softly. "I won't let him hurt you ever again," she assured Casey, whose body moved closer to her. She gently moved the blankets off of the younger woman's head. As Casey laid her head on Olivia's shoulder, the detective wrapped her arms around her, holding her in a protective embrace. "It will be okay," she said again. "The question is, will you be?"

Casey sniffled through the final hiccup, her sobs ever so slowly dissolving. "I don't know," she whispered. "I thought I would be, but now I'm questioning if I ever will be again. First he escaped from custody, then from jail...he's never going to give up! He will keep escaping as long as I am alive. The only way to stop him is if...I'm...dead..." With that, she began sobbing again.

Meanwhile, the gears were turning in Olivia's mind as the detective came up with a solution that could rescue Casey once and for all. Now she just needed Cragen's approval.


	12. Casey's Death

"Absolutely not."

Olivia sighed deeply, contemplating how to change the Captain's mind and nudge him towards the direction of agreeing with her. "Captain, this is the only way. Chance has escaped three times now, and he blatantly threatened to kill her if he ever got out again. Putting him in solitary will do no good...at least, not by itself. If we do this, he will back off and stay in his little hole like the worm he is."

"You want me to authorize a fake funeral, so that a man who is supposed to be in prison anyway can attend? Olivia, do you realize how crazy that sounds?"

Olivia shook her head, sitting in the chair in front of her boss's desk. She had been at this for over ten minutes, and so far, the only thing budging was her patience. "Captain-"

"If we do this," Cragen continued, "every victim is going to want a fake funeral so that they never have to worry about getting hurt again. Think about the hours, not to mention the cost, which would be enormous. I can't authorize that, Olivia, I'm sorry."

"This isn't just any victim," Olivia pointed out, hating the pleading tone in her own voice. "This is Casey, our prosecutor. She's as much a part of this squad as every cop out there." Emphasizing her point, and without realizing it, Olivia pointed out the window and into the bustling squadroom outside the office. "This creep has raped God knows how many other women, and he is not going to stop until either he or Casey is dead. I'm not asking you to actually kill her!"

"What are you planning on saying when we start hearing knocks on our door from victims pleading for a funeral for themselves? That it was a special circumstance, and that they aren't special enough for that sort of justice?"

Olivia shook her head, biting her lip in frustration. "We have to do something. Otherwise, we will be attending her funeral, but there will be a difference: instead of only appearing dead, she really will be; she'll be mangled and broken and lifeless!" she cried, appealing to Cragen's emotions, which was a risky move, and could either win him over or completely ruin everything. "Nobody has to know about this except the squad, Fitzgerald, and of course, Casey." Olivia leaned forward, grabbing a peppermint from the bowl on Cragen's desk. "We have to do something," she repeated quietly as she unwrapped the candy, crumpled the plastic into a minuscule ball, and tossed it into the trash can beside the desk.

"This is going to come back and bite us," Cragen warned, capping his pen and dropping it onto the desk. "Can you assure me that you will be ready for whatever this brings us?"

"Yes," Olivia answered without thinking about it. She was thinking more with her heart than anything at the moment, which was not the best thing, especially for a cop. But at the same time, she was desperate, because she couldn't bear to see Casey hurt ever again. The vision of the bruises that darkened the redhead's pale skin was permanently burned into her mind, and she was determined to do everything in her power to make sure that never happened again. "Captain, he has other victims, I know he does. But it's Casey he is fixated on, and until I can find those other victims, we need to keep him in prison while also protecting her. And even if you won't help me...I'll do it myself."

Cragen raised his eyebrows, fixing her with a stare that questioned everything, but also seemed to know all the answers. "Why are you so involved in this?" he asked. Olivia just stared blankly back at him, not answering. Cragen, taking the hint, asked "Do I want to know?" Seeing Olivia shake her head silently, he sighed and picked his pen up from where it had landed on top of the legal pad in front of him. "Alright, we will do this funeral," he conceded. "But when this comes around and falls on us, it will be your shoulders I place things on. Clear?"

Olivia nodded, suddenly feeling like an immature schoolgirl. She squirmed in her seat and answered "Yes, Captain. Thank you."

Cragen shook his head. "I will call the funeral home and set something up. Would you like roses, too, or will daisies work in the event that they are out of roses."

Olivia opened her mouth to respond, but quickly shut it, realizing he was being his usual sarcastic self. Instead of responding with a catty answer, she said "I'll be at my desk, if you need me." She smiled softly and stood up, walking out of the office before he could say another word.

It had been a week since that conversation. Olivia walked into her bedroom and stood in the doorway, smiling when she noticed the redhead standing in front of the mirror, wearing a long sleeved black dress. "You look beautiful," she murmured. "You dress to kill."

"Or to die, technically," Casey answered, "considering it's the morning of my funeral."

Olivia walked over to her and gently brushed the younger woman's long red mane over her shoulder so that she could zip the dress. "And when you wake up, I can say you've risen from the dead," the detective replied, grinning, despite the circumstances.

Casey returned her girlfriend's smile and laid her head on Olivia's shoulder, sighing quietly as the older woman's arms moved around her, holding her in a firm, loving embrace. "What if this doesn't work?" she whispered, her worries surfacing, the fear she felt demonstrated in her trembling voice.

"It will work," Olivia promised, still holding her. "He will see you in your casket. There will be a ceremony, and we will all be crying. To make it more authentic, I asked your parents to come and cry over their beloved daughter's death. Then, after all is said and done, the casket will be closed and-"

"Whoa," Casey interrupted, cutting her off unintentionally. "How the hell am I supposed to breathe if the damn lid is closed?" she asked, sounding a bit more accusatory than she meant to.

"You'll see," Olivia answered. "Trust me, baby, it will work. As I was saying, we will arrest him at the ceremony, and he will be escorted to Riker's, where he will await trial. Then, we will petition for him to be sent to a federal penitentiary in solitary confinement for the rest of his life, and you will be safe once and for all."

Casey thought about the list of events Olivia had just mapped out and sighed, laying her head on the older woman's shoulder once more. "I am wasting people's time and money...I don't want to do that. I feel like a selfish bitch...I feel horrible about that."

"It's not a waste, Casey. It's no different than what the Witness Protection Program does for their witnesses. Besides, if it came down to it, I would lay down my own life to keep you safe."

Casey raised her head suddenly, gazing into Olivia's chocolate brown eyes. "If you die for me, I'll kill you," she warned. "I mean I love the gesture, I do, but I much prefer my girlfriend breathing."

"I know, sweetie," Olivia chuckled, moving her fingertips gently through Casey's hair. "Trust me, I don't plan on leaving this world anytime soon," she assured, smiling gently. "Now, put your shoes on. You have a funeral to get to."

"What if I sneeze?" Casey asked, desperate to avoid screwing this entire operation up.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Casey, only you would ask that. You'll be fine, alright? If you feel the itch that precedes a sneeze, just rub your nose."

"But-"

"Go get your shoes on," Olivia ordered, smiling. "The sooner you die, the sooner you get to come home, and the sooner you get to move on with your life. It's the only way."

Several hours later, Olivia crossed her legs, listening to the priest talk about Casey's life. The memorial had gone well, at least, it had gone well so far. Olivia was glancing discreetly from the priest, to Casey, who was laying still in her casket, to the far wall of the chapel, where Chance stood, looking down at Casey's body. Olivia was relieved that he was standing so close to her, because if he were to try something, she would be able to reach him quickly, and, if she couldn't, the back up plan was that Fin waited in the secret room behind the bastard.

Olivia looked over at Casey's parents, who were doing an excellent job of pretending to cry. After a few moments, however, she realized they were real tears. Confused, she looked to her immediate right and looked at Munch. "John," she whispered.

"What's up, Liv?" he asked, without removing his eyes from the service.

"I put you in charge of telling Casey's parents she wasn't actually dead. You were supposed to invite them to her funeral two days ago, and then today, assure them, at the last minute, that it was not real."

"Damn," Munch cursed. "I knew I forgot to do something."

"John!" Olivia hissed, worry spreading over her. She glanced back over at Casey's parents and sighed inaudibly. On the other hand, maybe it was for the best that they, too, thought the young attorney was truly dead, because it was more security on the whole operation. But at the same time, she felt horrible for misleading them, and made a mental note to pull them aside after the service. Meanwhile, after shooting a glare that would have made ice freeze at John, Olivia focused her attention on the priest and Chance once more.

After the service ended, everyone had headed into the banquet room except Olivia and Chance. She glared at him, walking over to him, then noticed tears were streaming from his eyes. "Wait a minute. Are you actually crying?" she demanded.

"What's it to you, bitch?" he asked, wiping his eyes. "I just lost the love of my life."

Olivia fought the urge to scoff in disgust. It was so typical for an abuser to pull this crap, even at the last moment possible. Instead, she replied "I would prefer to see you in that coffin, but I will settle for the knowledge that you can accept the blame for this, while you rot in a four by four cell for the rest of your life. And so help me God if you ever make me repeat those words again..." _What was that, six times now?_ Olivia thought to herself. She had lost count.

"How did she die?" he asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

Olivia refused to be roped in. She thought about the agreed upon method of Casey's "death", and decided it would be best to leave the mystery. "Okay, you're only here as a formality. Now that you have seen the service, Chance Fitzgerald, you are under arrest for rape in the first degree, attempted murder, and assaulting a police officer. You have the right to remain silent. If you give up that right, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?"

"Shut up, bitch."

"I'll take that as a yes," Olivia answered, just as Fin entered the chapel. He took Chance by the arm and escorted him out.

Olivia stood next to the casket, listening as Chance shouted. All the way out, he screamed "YOU KILLED MY WOMAN, YOU BITCH! YOU RUINED MY LIFE! WHEN I GET OUT, I'LL MAKE SURE YOUR LIFE IS RUINED TOO!"

The screaming continued until he was gone. "Honey, where you're going, you're never going to see the light of day again," Olivia muttered, turning to face Casey, who was laying still in her casket, appearing completely lifeless. After a quick check around the church, making sure no one was around, Olivia leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the younger woman's lips. Smiling, she adjusted the flowers in Casey's hands and made her way out of the chapel. Her current objective was to kindly inform Casey's parents that their daughter was not dead.


	13. Her First Time

"He's gone, Casey," Olivia whispered, kneeling down next to Casey's casket.

Casey opened her eyes slowly and turned her head, smiling when she saw her girlfriend next to her. "I hope he's gone forever," she murmured, slowly pulling herself into a sitting position. She groaned softly as she did so. She had been laying down for hours, and most of her body was asleep.

Olivia helped her out of the casket and refused to let go until Casey was steady enough to stand on her own two feet. She brushed a stray lock of red hair out of Casey's emerald eyes and smiled. "He's going to solitary. By the time he gets out, if he gets out, he will need a walker just to move. No one will ever hurt you again. Not while I'm around," the detective murmured, placing two fingers under Casey's chin and lifting it as they locked eyes again.

Casey wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's neck and laid her head on Olivia's shoulder, refusing to leave the safe warmth that radiated from Olivia's embrace. "You saved me," she whispered.

"It's my job," Olivia replied, rubbing the younger woman's lower back in tiny, affectionate circles. "What do you say we go out, eat some dinner, and then go back to my place and watch a movie together?"

Casey smiled softly at the suggestion. The idea of spending all night in the older woman's arms was something she found quite appealing. "Okay," she agreed. She looked in the direction of the stained glass doors at the other end of the chapel, noting that it was dark outside already. "What time is it?" she asked.

Olivia checked her watch and smiled. "It is five minutes past seven. A perfect eating time."

"Anytime for you is a perfect eating time," Casey joked. She looked down as Olivia took her hand and intertwined their fingers. Casey gently squeezed, gazing into the brunette's chocolate brown eyes, waiting to see what the older woman would do.

Olivia kissed her gently and pulled back. "I love you," she whispered. "Now let's go. I'm starving and if we don't eat soon, I may just keel over dead."

"If you say so," Casey answered, resisting the urge to pounce on her. She had no idea where that had come from, but it was reflective of the thoughts that had been running through her mind over the course of the last several days. As she took a couple of steps forward, Casey stumbled, and Olivia caught her, looking into her eyes. "I'm fine," Casey assured her, hoping the detective would believe her.

"No you're not," Olivia responded, holding onto her firmly in such a way that, no matter which way Casey fell, she would somehow drag Olivia down with her. She backed a way a bit, but as soon as Casey started to sway, she quickly reached out and held onto her again. "Okay, that's it. The only place you're going is home."

"Olivia," Casey protested. "I'm fine," she insisted. "I promise I will be okay. I feel a little lightheaded is all. It's probably just hunger." Seeing the doubtful look on her girlfriend's face, the attorney sighed. "Olivia, please," she begged. "I just spent two hours laying dead in a casket. Let me walk. If I fall, I fall. I'm perfectly capable of getting back up again."

Olivia sighed. Casey could see by the look in the detective's eyes that she had won. "Okay," Olivia conceded. "But I will be walking behind you. If you fall, do me a favor and fall backwards."

"I'll be sure to do that," Casey answered, managing a playful smile. "Now let's go, before you really do keel over dead from starvation."

Two hours later, Casey laid her head on the car window as they drove from the restaurant to Olivia's apartment. "I still don't understand why you refused to let me pay," she murmured. "I could have, you know. I wanted to. But a certain detective was hellbent on doing it for me."

"Because you're my date, not the other way around," Olivia replied, keeping her eyes on the road. "I love you, Casey, just accept that. From this point on, you are my princess, and I will treat you as such."

Casey nodded, knowing that this was one argument she had no hope of winning. Both she and Olivia could be stubborn, but Olivia was the one who usually won, depending on the subject of the discussion. "Olivia?" Casey asked, lifting her head from the window and looking at the older woman.

"Don't pass out on me. I'm too sore to carry you up to my apartment," Olivia replied.

Casey smiled. "Actually, I feel more awake than I did immediately after the funeral. You won't have to carry me, I promise. I just wanted to say..." The attorney trailed off, wondering how to get her point across, while also convincing Olivia that it was in fact the right thing to do. "This is the safest I've felt in years," she admitted quietly, watching the cars speed by them on the road, mere blurs of light. "And now that Chance is officially in jail with absolutely no hope of ever escaping again, I feel like I can truly move on with my life now. I feel like it's time to stop letting the memory of what he did, the memory of _him_, interfere with things I want to do. So I've been thinking and..." She trailed off, biting her lip thoughtfully. She was extremely nervous about how Olivia would respond. "I'm ready," she murmured. "I'm ready...for us. For you."

Olivia pulled up at a red light and looked over at her, keeping her hands on the wheel. "Casey, I told you that there is no hurry, alright? It's whenever you are ready."

"But I'm ready!" Casey insisted. She sighed, mentally kicking herself for that weak counterargument. She was an attorney, and that was the strongest argument she could come up with? That was pathetic. Casey sighed, recollecting herself. "Olivia, I mean it. I am not going to let what happened with Chance ruin my life forever. I have to move on sometime. Listen, you touched me earlier, and I got no flashbacks, and what few nightmares I have had lately have been quite bland. I still think about what happened, but I'm not squirming out of everyone's touch anymore, and I feel safe again for once."

Olivia shifted the car into drive as the light turned green. "You don't know that doing that won't bring your flashbacks around again. I just worry that it has been too soon, and you know I would never do anything to hurt you, physically, emotionally, or mentally." The detective shook her head at the silence she received from Casey. "Alright. We will try. But the moment you flinch, or the moment you get a flashback to anything related to that prick, we will stop and try again at a different time. Deal?"

"Deal," Casey replied, smiling softly. She was relieved that Olivia had given in. She didn't know if there was a definition of "being" ready, but if there was, it was what she was feeling. She had meant what she told Olivia: it was time to move on, and there was no better way to do it, no one better to do it with, than now, with the woman who had made her feel safe again.

"I brought you some cocoa," Olivia said, entering the bedroom with a tray of drinks. As Casey sat up in bed, Olivia smiled. "On the side are marshmallows and a pitcher of milk."

"Thanks, babe," Casey replied, reaching for a spoon and stirring a couple of marshmallows into her steaming cocoa. She watched as they floated to the surface, like buoys in a sea of chocolate. Pouring a dash of milk, she smiled, stirred it again, and took a tentative sip. "It's even the perfect temperature," she murmured appreciatively, setting her mug on the tray.

Olivia took a sip of the wine she had poured for herself. She traced her fingertips along a nearly invisible scar on Casey's chest and sighed. "I wish I had saved you sooner," she said quietly.

Casey looked at her and hugged her tightly. "I could never blame you, Olivia," she murmured, laying her head on her girlfriend's chest. "You're the one that saved me. You saved me when you knew, when it was time. If it weren't for you..." Casey looked at the clock and sighed. "If it weren't for you," she repeated, "I'd probably be dead by now."

Olivia gently ran her fingers through Casey's long red hair and held her protectively. "I would never let that happen," she replied. "As long as I am around, you're safe. And I can assure you, I plan on sticking around for a very long time."

Casey nodded, smiling softly. "I know," she answered. "And it's because of the fact that I trust you, and that I love you, that I know, with every fiber of my being, that I am ready for you to touch me. I won't cringe from you, Olivia, I promise. I'm ready for this." Casey gently kissed Olivia on the lips and purred quietly when she felt the older woman's strong arms more tightly around her.

"Are you sure?" Olivia asked, for the dozenth time since Casey had first made the announcement.

"Yes," Casey murmured, meaning every word she had said.

Olivia took a rather large sip of her wine and set it next to Casey's cocoa, then looked into the younger woman's eyes and kissed her passionately. She gently pushed Casey onto her back and positioned herself on top of her, careful not to hurt the baby. As Casey moaned quietly into their kiss, Olivia traced gentle, loving patterns across the redhead's pale skin. "I love you, Casey," she whispered.

"I love you too, Olivia," Casey answered, quickly engaging Olivia's tongue in a playful battle. She whimpered softly as Olivia pinned her against the bed, displaying her dominance while also remaining gentle and loving. Casey closed her eyes, laid her head back against the pillows, and allowed her body to submit to Olivia completely.

An hour later, Casey snuggled closer to Olivia's naked body in bed. She smiled as the older woman pulled the covers over both of them. Casey laid her head on the detective's chest, and sighed happily when she felt those incredibly strong arms around her once more. "I told you I'd be fine," she murmured.

"Okay, smarty pants," Olivia answered, kissing the top of Casey's head. "You proved me wrong, okay? I concede." The detective exhaled deeply, her chest rising and falling with her breathing. "I never would have thought you were a screamer," she murmured.

Casey smiled softly. "I have my moments," she replied, snuggling closer to the brunette. "I can scream in pleasure, too, you know...regardless of how long it has been since I was last able to." She lifted her head and looked into Olivia's eyes, then kissed her gently. "Thank you, Olivia."

"Anything for you, baby," Olivia whispered, returning her kiss. As Casey laid back down, Olivia's phone rang. "It's Cragen," she whispered apologetically. "I have to take this."

Casey nodded, though she knew that was futile, since it was nearly pitch dark in the bedroom. As Olivia answered the phone, Casey allowed her mind to wander to thoughts of what had just occurred between them, and all she knew was that Olivia had made her feel things that nobody else ever had. As Olivia hung up, Casey knew what she was about to say before she even heard it. "Go," she whispered. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Olivia asked. "I can stay if you need me."

Casey shook her head. "Go," she repeated. "I'll be here when you get back. I promise."

Olivia kissed her passionately and sat up, holding the covers to her naked body. "I'll be home later. I love you."

"I love you too," Casey answered, smiling.

Olivia stepped out of bed and grabbed her clothes, then looked back at the younger woman. "That was incredible," she murmured.

"Mmhm," Casey agreed, laying her head on her girlfriend's vacant pillow. "See you later, babe."


	14. Remember

_Author's note: Hey guys. I have an idea, and I want to know what everyone thinks. We all know about Olivia's current boy toy. I hate the pairing, trust me, I do, but what if we incorporate him into this story? Olivia cannot come out and say she's with someone, especially since that someone is SVU'S ADA, and David is very persistent. I was just thinking about incorporating that somehow, whether I have her sleep with him or him flirt with her and be turned down...that's where I want feedback. Let me know in a review, and thanks for reading! _

Casey propped herself up in Olivia's bed and turned her laptop on, positioning it carefully on her knees. She opened a new window and typed "babies" into the search bar. Instantly, hundreds of thousands of links popped up, and everything from diaper advertisements to formula to toys stared back at her. Casey smiled softly and began clicking links, researching prices, and in general researching what it would be like once her baby was born. It had been several hours since Olivia got called away, leaving Casey to her own devices. The attorney wondered if she could get away with doing some work, but the detective had threatened to check her history if she didn't listen to the bed rest order. Casey knew that the simple cure would be merely erasing her history as she went, but the fact that Olivia was being so protective of her and the baby was sweet, and Casey had little desire to violate that.

Sleeping with the older woman so soon after Chance may not have been the brightest move, and Casey knew that. It had been a risk, above all else, especially when it came to the possibility of any flashbacks. But she had risked it, because she loved Olivia, and she trusted her. It had been only a short while since the last time Chance had beaten and raped her, and though the bruises and cuts were still healing, Casey was willing to place everything on the line for Olivia. And now, mere hours after baring her soul and body to the older woman, the attorney didn't regret the decision.

As a PDF file downloaded to her computer, Casey allowed her mind to wander to the memory of the previous night. Olivia had been strong, but also loving, and slow. Casey remembered thinking how strange it was to see the detective like this. She had been expecting a tough, domineering alpha in bed, but Olivia had not been that way with her at all. In fact, she had been gentle, firm, and caring.

The one thing that had been most different for Casey about the night before was that it was the first time in what felt like forever that she had been whimpering in pleasure for once, instead of in pain. That, in itself, was a welcome change, and Casey couldn't remember experiencing a better night.

Casey yawned as her laptop alerted her that the download was complete. She clicked the open file option and sighed as her screen filled with words. The title of the document was _Everything You Need to Know About Being a Mother: From the Moment of Conception to Birth._ Casey scanned through the various headings and subtitles, feeling herself becoming increasingly sleepy, the more she read. By the time she reached the section she needed, about what to do in the third month of pregnancy, the beautiful redhead was sound asleep.

Her dreams quickly turned into a flashback:

_"You look beautiful tonight."_

_ Casey smiled as he kissed her on the cheek, his hands wrapping around her waist, around the black fabric of her dress that clung to her every curve. She felt like a goddess as he pulled her closer, lifting her chin and looking into her eyes with a gaze that made her melt. "You look handsome," she murmured, her fingers playing with the buttons on his tux, just enough to be playful, but not enough to open them._

_ "I wouldn't want to look bad next to you, now would I?" he asked, kissing her passionately on the lips. He pulled out her chair and smiled as she sat down, then took his seat across from her. "I'm really glad you could make it tonight, Casey," he said._

_ Casey smiled softly, opening her menu on top of the table. "Me too," she answered quietly. "Work has been so stressful lately. This is a welcome distraction. Although I have to say, Chance, when you called me and asked me out on a date, I was a bit skeptical at first. I mean, I was worried that maybe you were only kidding, since I've had to cancel so many times."_

_ "I believe that everyone deserves as many chances as their personality merits," he responded, opening the menu and quickly turning to the alcoholic side of the beverages section. "You, beautiful, deserve an unlimited amount of chances."_

_ Casey giggled like a schoolgirl, her pale skin turning a dark red that rivaled the color of her natural curls. She scanned the section of her own beverages and debated for several moments between three different drinks, none of them alcoholic. She had to be careful. First of all, she was not one to get drunk, and second of all, she had court in the morning. Showing up drunk would not be very wise, especially since Petrovsky was presiding._

_ A pretty blonde waitress approached the table, pen poised over a notepad. "What can I get you two to drink tonight?" she asked, smiling._

_ Chance answered first, pointing to his menu. "I'll have a beer," please, he said, indicating which brand he preferred. "How about you, Casey?"_

_ Feeling the waitress's eyes on her in addition to her boyfriend's, Casey smiled softly. "Can I get an iced tea, with a bowl of lemons on the side and a separate cup of ice?" She handed her menu to their server and smiled in a way that thanked the girl, while also warning her that Chance was taken._

_ "Sure. I'll be right back with your drinks," the girl said, taking the drink menus with her. _

_ Casey looked at Chance and smiled. He was reading the side dish side of his dinner menu, and he looked incredibly handsome. His suit was perfectly tailored, and his hair was the perfect shade and length, his eyes the most beautiful brown. Casey sighed internally, feeling her organs turn to mush. His sexy baritone had that effect on her, especially when he reached that special moment in bed...there was no denying it. She had fallen head over heels in love. "So what are you having?" she asked, trying to distract her wandering mind. It was very unprofessional, especially for an officer of the court._

_ "Wings," he answered offhandedly. "How about you, sweetie?" he asked, not looking up from his menu. "Do you want wings too? We can share."_

_ Casey shook her head. "No, thanks," she answered. "I'm just going to have a chicken salad."_

_ "See that's what I love about you, baby. You are beautiful, talented, smart, and also health conscious. What did I ever do to deserve a girl as amazing as you?"_

_ "You make me feel safe," Casey sighed, the future irony of the statement nowhere in her mind._

That dream ended, and was quickly replaced with another flashback. Casey tossed and turned in her sleep as her unconscious mind recognized it as the same night of the first dream, but later, when they got back to his place.

_Casey hung her coat on a hanger and placed it in the closet, closing the door after she did so. She had just turned around when she was pulled into a passionate embrace. Inhaling, she recognized the scent immediately; it was Chance's cologne. "You smell good," she murmured, her fingers walking up his chest._

_ Chance lifted her chin and kissed her passionately, gazing into her emerald eyes. "Casey, tonight was amazing. I wish we could do this more often. The problem is, your job never lets us. Those detectives you work with get more time from you than I do, and baby that hurts."_

_ "I know," Casey sighed apologetically. "It's just that the Special Victims Unit has had so much on their plate lately, which, by extension means so do I, since I am the one assigned to that bureau. I'm sorry, babe, but you knew that from the first time we slept together." She pulled him closer and kissed him passionately, pulling on his tie. "We have time now though," she whispered seductively. "My phone is off...it's just us, all alone in this big house."_

_ Chance chuckled, returning her kiss with one of his own. She could taste the beer on his tongue, and tried not to let it ruin the moment. Chance brushed a stray red curl out of Casey's emerald eyes and smiled, taking her by the hand as he led her into the bedroom. He turned off the lights, making the room pitch black. He felt Casey pause in the darkness at this odd action. "I just want to ravish you," he whispered, attempting to distract her. He pushed her onto the bed, pulling her panties off and roughly pushing her dress up so that he could easily access her lower half._

_ Casey moaned softly in anticipation. She had always loved the rugged handsomeness about him. It was sexy, and it was one of the many things about him that drove her crazy with desire. She heard his zipper, and smiling as he leaned down and kissed her. "Chance?" she asked, unable to see him in the darkness. All she heard in response was a soft groan, and she realized he was preparing himself. Moments later, she gasped softly as he entered her, slowly and deeply. Casey arched her body instantly, moaning into the incredible feel. Everything was normal at this point. He began to thrust in and out of her, his enormous shaft going in as deep as possible without hurting her._

_ Casey gently bit down on his bottom lip, arching her body further as he kissed her passionately, massaging her breasts with firm but gentle strength. Her nipples hardened painfully and quickly in response to his touch. "Chance," she whimpered, wrapping her arms around his neck as he continued to penetrate her, soft groans escaping his lips. The low rumble sent shivers throughout Casey's body._

_ Then things changed. The thrusts became harder and deeper, and were becoming painful. Chance began to groan more loudly, but Casey broke their kiss and whispered "Chance, you're hurting me, babe." She assumed he was losing control out of arousal and pleasure. But he ignored her, and began thrusting even harder into her. Casey tried pushing him off of her. "Chance, stop it," she begged, pushing on his chest. "STOP!"_

_ Chance reached for her wrists and pinned them at either side of her body, and his thrusts turned into full on reaming, filling her completely. Casey's whimpers and pleas didn't seem to faze him, and it seemed that with each passing second, he only grew rougher. "Chance," Casey begged, knowing if she tried to move, her wrists would break. Such was the strength he was exerting on them._

_ "Is this the way you like it?" he demanded. "I know you like to be hurt, Casey," he whispered, licking her ear. "Or can you dish it out but not take it?"_

_ "What are you talking about?" Casey asked quietly, biting her lip in an effort to stop the pain, or at least dull it._

_ "Charlie," he growled. "Consider this revenge for what you did to my brother, you bitch," he snarled between groans, and, almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth, he cried out and succumbed to his release. Casey felt the sudden warmth and bit back the flood of tears. Suddenly, he got out of bed and went into the bathroom, slamming the door. Casey laid on the bed, a single tear rolling out of her emerald eyes and down her cheek._

The attorney woke from the nightmare in tears. She spent the next several minutes panting and trying to regain her breath, and convince herself that it was only a dream. Except, it wasn't just a dream...it was a memory, a horrifying, monstrous memory of the night her life had gone from seemingly perfect to perfectly terrifying. Even in her awake state, Casey remembered that he had raped her twice more that night, then rolled over and went to sleep. Casey shuddered as she realized that, if Olivia hadn't saved her, she would likely be dead by now.

Still gasping for air, Casey reached for her phone and checked her texts, smiling when she saw one from Olivia. The message read "Hey, baby. How are you feeling? You better not be doing any work, young lady, I mean it. Anyway, I've been meeting with our temporary ADA while you are gone and Alex is out of town. His name is David. He's actually very kind. This could be the start of an interesting partnership."


	15. Moving On

_Author's note: Hey guys. Let me just clarify that I am not racist, don't worry. What Olivia says is just an observation, and I promise if you keep reading after that statement, she corrects herself. Not racist, no worries. I had to do things this way for the type of case. You'll see._

"Tell me something, John," Olivia said, walking in a slow, threatening circle around the interrogation room, her hands clasped behind her back.

"My name is Prince," came the low reply.

Olivia ignored him, and continued to walk around him. "What is it about raping little girls that gets you off?" she asked, bending down so she could whisper harshly in his ear.

"The innocence. The preciousness. Oh, Mama, I could go all day. But how about you come see me when you get off work? We can have some real fun together."

Olivia sat on the edge of the table, her chocolate brown eyes narrowed as she glared at the pervert+ in front of her. She shoved the open files towards him, and indicated each respective picture as she spoke. "Alexis Quinn begged you to let her go home, where her mother was worried sick." Olivia held up the picture of the dead little blonde girl with the slit throat. "You raped her repeatedly, slit her throat, and dumped her in the river." Olivia held up a second picture, this one of a six year old with a gunshot wound to her head. "Amy Lopez. You beat her so hard that part of her skull broke off and lodged in her brain. You threw her body out of your speeding convertible. Want to know how we know that?"

"Because you're psychic on top of being so incredibly hot?" John inquired, smirking. "Mmmmm, baby, you're my kind of woman. How do you look out of uniform?"

Olivia fought the urge to gag in disgust, and continued showing him pictures of his crimes. "Aly Jennings, Marissa Smith, Josie Klein," she went on, displaying the correct images. "Each of their innocent bodies degraded, mutilated, and thrown away like garbage. You answer my question, John," Olivia growled, her tone a low, threatening whisper. "What did they ever do to you?"

He reached for the files and placed his hands on each image, closing his eyes and sighing, inhaling deeply. It was clear that he was reminiscing. "They were so precious," he murmured. "I read them fairy tales, and then gave them a real life Prince. I was their hero, their savior."

"You were their rapist!" Olivia snapped, standing up so quickly from the table that the force moved it backwards a few centimeters. "You killed twelve little girls here in New York alone. You deserve to rot in a four by four cell for the rest of your miserable life, and when you become afraid to wake up in the morning because your cellmate is a tough body builder who loves fresh meat, maybe you'll understand what you've done." Olivia walked out of the room, closing the door behind her on the catcalls that were shot at her.

"He's a real piece of work," Fin said, pressing the microphone button so that they couldn't hear what the pervert on the other side of the glass was shouting. "He rapes and kills a bunch of children, and then hits on a detective." Fin looked at Olivia, who had folded her arms across her chest.

Olivia shook her head. "It's disgusting," she murmured. "And why do the black men always come up with the crazy names for themselves?" She saw the look Fin gave her and sighed deeply. "No, I don't mean it that way. I just mean, think about it. When was the last time we had a rapist who liked to be called Prince who was white? Sure we've had a few black ones, but never white."

"The whites have crazy nicknames too," Fin pointed out. "Remember Amethyst Bubblegum?"

Olivia chuckled. "Point taken," she answered, smiling softly. She looked through the one way mirror, noticing that their friendly rapist was pacing and looked as if he were watching porn. Except he wasn't; instead, the sick freak was admiring his own work. Olivia resisted the urge to walk in and beat him herself, and possibly kill him for the damage he had done. "I can't believe that bastard hit on me," she whispered. "It's like he is so arrogant that he has forgotten where he is."  
>"He feels safe," said a voice behind them. Olivia and Fin both turned around, and noticed that the voice belonged to none other than David Haden, Casey's temporary replacement. "As for hitting on you, Olivia, well, no one could really blame him," he added.<p>

"David," Olivia began, sighing as she realized they would have to have this discussion again. It was getting quite tedious, to say the least. She was quickly tiring of having to think of excuses for turning the very persistent David down without explicitly admitting that she was gay and that she was already with someone, a woman, who, to further complicate things, was SVU's main ADA. "What are you doing here, David?" the detective asked, dreading the answer before the question had even left her mouth. To her chagrin, he answered with the response she had been dreading.

"I came to deliver a warrant for you. And I figured, while I was here, I could see you."

Olivia sighed. "Listen, this is purely professional. I cannot date an assistant district attorney, alright? There are rules against that, and I don't think I can stake my career on being with you, David. This is a professional relationship, nothing more," she said, opening the door and stepping into the interrogation once more. If only he knew the irony of everything she had just said.

After taking John Cook, aka 'Prince', to the cage and he had been picked up and taken to central booking, Olivia was more than ready for the day to end. She was exhausted, sore, and repulsed by everything she had seen and heard over the course of the day, especially by the immense pride John took in his brutal attacks on many innocent little girls. And then there was the fact that David Haden was there at every possible moment, doing everything in his power to convince her to date him. Olivia was at the point where she was about to tell him her secret just to shut him up; that was just how frustrated she was with the entire thing.

Olivia finished with her work and emailed everything to the necessary people, then turned her desk computer off and said goodbye to her male coworkers. Thankfully, David had left just over an hour ago, after Olivia politely informed him that she did not want to date him at all.

It took her an hour to get home. It was ten minutes past six when she left the precinct, which meant she had to deal with the crazy New York rush hour. However, after the delay, Olivia arrived at her apartment, and entered the building, taking the elevator to her floor. She unlocked the door to her place, sighing as she closed the door behind her. "Casey?" she called out, smiling softly to herself. "I'm home, sweetie, where are you?" She hung her coat in the closet and headed towards her room.

"In here," Casey called back as Olivia approached the closed bedroom door. As Olivia entered, Casey looked up and smiled softly. "Hey," she greeted the detective quietly.

Olivia's eyebrows knitted in concern. Something was definitely off. She sat down next to Casey in bed and looked into the younger woman's emerald green eyes. "Casey, usually you manage at least twenty words to greet me," she joked. "Is something wrong?" she asked, brushing a stray red curl out of Casey's face. She had a sickening feeling that she knew what was about to be said.

"I'm okay," Casey mumbled. Seeing the look Olivia gave her, the attorney sighed. It was the same look perps received when the detective was in the interrogation room. "Olivia, I'm fine," she protested. But Olivia continued to give her the same penetrating stare. "Fine, I'm not okay," Casey admitted. She sighed and laid on her back, staring at the ceiling. "I fell asleep earlier after doing some research for the baby. My dreams were great at first. But then they turned into flashbacks."

"Of Chance," Olivia clarified. It was a statement, not a question, and both women knew the horrible answer that laid under the surface of those two little words.

Casey nodded, the tears flooding her emerald eyes once more. "It started out as a memory of the night we had our special date. I thought, the way he was acting, maybe he would propose when we got home. I was so excited. But then it was nothing like what I expected. Instead of proposing to me, getting to his knees, it was me who ended up on _my_ knees, begging for mercy." Casey sighed, turning her head and looking at the beautiful detective. "That was the first time he raped me, Olivia," she murmured tearfully. "And second and third, and maybe a fourth. I don't even know how many times he attacked me that night alone. I will never forget how he just rolled over and..slept after."

"Casey," Olivia murmured, lifting the younger woman's chin and sighing as they locked eyes. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have done anything last night. Can you forgive me?"

"Olivia, you didn't cause this," Casey protested, a little too quickly. She had convinced herself that the flashbacks were not because of the sex with Olivia the night before, and whether it was rationalization or reality, she wanted to believe that it was the latter. Olivia would never hurt her.

Olivia shook her head. "Casey, I'm so sorry," the detective whispered. "I hope you can forgive me for hurting you."

"You didn't!" Casey groaned and fell back onto the pillows, closing her eyes and sighing quietly. "You didn't hurt me. He hurt me, you saved me. He caused these flashbacks, not you. Olivia, I feel so safe when I'm with you," Casey added, moving closer to Olivia in bed.

"Are you sure what we did last night did not cause this?" Olivia asked, though she didn't sound fully convinced. But Casey knew that it was as close as she would get to convincing her, and so the attorney nodded, answering without speaking. Olivia nodded. "Okay. Lay down, sweetie, I'm going to order some pizza." She grabbed the receiver and dialed the number of the pizza parlor, which amazed Casey, since the detective did not consult a phonebook once. She began to wonder just how often the older woman ordered takeout. Olivia placed an order for three pizzas, one plain cheese, one extra pepperoni, and one with every conceivable meat and pepper known to man embedded in the cheese. After getting off the phone, she informed Casey that dinner was on their way.

"Look," Casey answered, opening her laptop and pulling up the web page she had been on earlier. As they snuggled close together, Casey pointed out the list of names she had found for her baby. "I was reading this list, but honestly, I don't think any of the names sound perfect, either on the girl list or the boy list. Maybe we can come up with one together?" she asked.

Olivia smiled. "Casey, I would love that," she answered, placing a gentle kiss on Casey's temple. "But maybe we should wait until we know the sex of the baby. It will only be another couple of months, Casey. Your next appointment is in May right?" As Casey nodded, Olivia kissed her. "See? Case settled." She turned her attention back to the computer screen, and the two women read many baby sites until a half hour later, when the doorbell rang. Olivia grabbed her wallet, and Casey followed her, refusing the order to stay in bed. The two women walked to the door together and Olivia smiled, then opened it. "Wow, you got here quick," she said, then paused when she noticed who was there. It wasn't the pizza deliverer. It was David, who was staring at them with a dropped jaw.


	16. Jealousy's Ugly Head

Casey shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she and David stared at each other. Casey's glare much resembled that of a dog ready to go in for the kill. She took in David's receding hairline, thin lips, and enormous nose (which reminded Casey of a cucumber). David stared back in shock, and Casey refused to look away. "You must be David," she snapped, her voice loaded with every ounce of contempt she could muster. _This was the creep who hit on Olivia?_

"You two haven't met?" Olivia asked, looking at Casey.

Casey shook her head, folding her arms across her chest. "No. I don't know everyone in the office, especially since he's a transfer, from what I've heard. I don't believe I have had the pleasure of meeting him," she added, her voice low and threatening, as if she were grilling a defendant on the stand.

Olivia sighed. "Casey, this is David. David, this is Casey." She stepped aside to allow the other attorney to enter, ignoring Casey's narrowed, icy emerald gaze. "David, how did you know where I live? I do not believe I ever told you that piece of information."

"Munch told me," David answered, shrugging as he sat on the couch without any invitation. He looked from Casey, who had walked into the kitchen, to Olivia, who was standing beside her. "He didn't mention the reason you're taking time off is to sleep with another attorney. I do believe you mentioned something about not doing so, though, for fear of a conflict of interest, if my memory serves me correctly."

Casey bit down hard on a peanut, barely noticing in her anger, which was slowly building. She wondered if David was always this much of a pretentious jerk. The vibe off of him was like he thought he was better than anyone, and could have anyone he wanted, whenever he wanted. Olivia noticed the glare her girlfriend was giving, which was a combination of hurt and anger. She gently walked behind the redhead for support, though did nothing to physically comfort her. But Casey's anger was not appeased by any means. "Who the hell do you think you are?" she demanded. "You have something wrong if you think she has been taking time off for sexual pleasure sessions," the young attorney added coldly, before quickly leaving the room. A few seconds later, the bedroom door slammed, making both Olivia and David jump and the apartment shake as an aftereffect.

"Olivia, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset her," David apologized, looking at the detective.

Olivia sighed, shaking her head as she poured a glass of wine for herself and took a small sip. She did not bother to offer him any, because that would mean inviting him to stay. "David, the next time you go around shooting off your big mouth, check your facts," the detective warned. "I've been taking time off to protect her from her abuser, not that it is any of your business." She took another sip of her wine and looked over at him. "I think it would be best if you left now," she added. "Please understand right now that I have no desire to sleep with you, or date you, and I never will. And if you want to spread the rumor around SVU that Detective Benson is a lesbian and sleeping with ADA Novak, go right on ahead, David, but before you do so, realize that I would rather lose my job than lose her."

"I won't do that to you, Detective," David answered, meeting her dark brown gaze.

"Just leave," Olivia ordered. "Goodnight." Having said her peace, the detective walked him to the door and told him goodnight once more, before locking and bolting the door. "Casey?" she called out, heading towards her closed bedroom door. Upon reaching it, she discovered that it was locked from the inside. The brunette sighed, and spoke as she stood in front of it. "Case?" she asked quietly. "Can I come in?"

She heard a sniffle from inside, followed by Casey's voice, which was clearly choked with tears. "I just want to be alone right now," she answered softly.

Olivia sighed. "Casey, it's just you and me, honey. I made him leave. I know what he said got to you, but I promise he will never say anything like that again, and if he does, well, his lower half will feel the consequences," the detective could not help but adding with a smile.

"It wasn't just that," Casey answered, a bit more loudly this time. "It's just...well, what he said reminded me of the real reason you've taken so much time off, and I feel guilty, and then the memories and flashbacks are returning again, and all of those things are happening because of one sentence, so on top of all of those conflicting emotions, add guilty about being so oversensitive to the list."

"I understand, but I can't help you if I am out here and you are in there. Please let me in."

From inside the bedroom came a click as Casey unlocked the door, and as Olivia opened it, the attorney was heading back towards the bed. The redhead laid down on her back and sighed, her long curls spread on the pillow. Her emerald eyes glistened with fresh tears as she spoke. "I just want this to end," she whispered. She placed her hand on her pregnant belly and sighed. "I want to be a good mother, but what if I can't? What if every time I hear the word Mommy, I think of him?" Casey knew it was a cliché worry, in the sense that every pregnant victim they had ever encountered had wondered the same thing, but now that she was experiencing it herself, she had a completely new perspective on the issue. "What if I hate the poor thing, without meaning or wanting to?"

Olivia sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, tenderly brushing a stray lock of red hair out of Casey's face. "Casey Novak, I have full faith in every decision you make. You are going to be a great mother, and you and that baby, our baby, are mine forever. I will love you both until the end of time," Olivia promised, placing her hand over Casey's, which was still on her barely swollen belly.

"David is a prick," Casey mumbled, sniffling and wiping her tears.

Olivia chuckled, and smiled. "Yeah. He has his moments." She placed a gentle kiss on Casey's lips and pulled back, gazing into her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but the piercing ring of the doorbell from outside cut her off. "That better not be David." She kissed Casey again and stood up. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Just lay here and relax." The detective walked out of the bedroom, and a few minutes later, Casey heard a low conversation. She wondered if David really was back, in which case all hell would likely break loose. But, when Olivia returned after several moments, no one was with her. Instead, she was carrying a tray that held the three pizzas, two cups, a mini bowl of ice, silverware, napkins, and two liters of soda, one of cola, one of root beer. She smiled at Casey and placed the tray in the center of the bed so that they would both have access, and sat down next to the beautiful redhead. Opening the top box, she took two slices of double pepperoni pizza and placed them on a plate, handing it to Casey along with a fork, knife, and napkin. She then prepared herself a plate with three slices of "the works" and two plain cheese.

Casey smiled, taking her plate. "Thank you, babe, this looks delicious." She had an enormous appetite tonight, which was odd for her. She just hoped she could keep it down, for once.

An hour later, Casey snuggled closer to Olivia in bed and laid her head on the detective's chest. As Olivia kissed the top of her head, Casey smiled softly and murmured "I'm sorry for getting so sensitive about what David said. I shouldn't have gotten to upset."

"He had no right saying it," Olivia answered. "And I'm not mad at you, Case. I have no reason to be." The detective began gently stroking Casey's long hair, making Casey sigh happily against her. "You know, five pieces of pizza is about five times the amount you normally eat."

Casey blushed deeply in the darkness, her normally pale cheeks flushing with a color that rivaled her crimson hair. She took a few moments to enjoy the feel of the older woman's long fingers in her hair, then finally, after several minutes had passed, she answered "This pregnancy is changing so much about me. I'm tired all the time, my boobs hurt constantly, I never know when I'm going to have to dart towards the nearest bathroom, and, on top of all of that, our baby seems to have her cop mother's bottomless pit of a stomach." The last part was meant mostly as a playful joke.

"Well if she has her attorney mother's personality on top of her cop mother's appetite, we will have quite a child on our hands, won't we?" Olivia joked back.

Casey smiled softly. "I suppose we will," she answered thoughtfully, her mind quickly consumed with thoughts about the future. It was Chance's baby growing inside her, and part of Casey worried about not being able to love the baby because of that, and part of her worried that it would be like its father. But at the same time, she was trying to be optimistic, and hope that, with Olivia and herself raising the child together, the nurturing would help it turn out okay after all. Only time would tell, that was the one thing Casey knew for certain about the future.

As Olivia continued to stroke her hair, that, combined with the feelings of safety, love, and protection that came from being in the older woman's arms, Casey slowly closed her eyes, falling into a peaceful sleep. For the first time in what seemed like forever, the only dreams that floated across her sleeping mind were of Olivia and their baby, and there was not a single image of the monster that had entered her life. She felt safe again, and it would be a long time before she was fully healed, but she was moving closer and closer to her old self again. And that was progress, in every sense of the word.

_Important Author's note: Hey guys. Let me know what you want me to do about David. He can be Olivia's lover, or the thorn in her side, or whatever you all want him to be. Please review and let me know, and I'll work it in, I promise. Also, I hope no one was offended by my description of David Haden, but that is honestly what he looks like to me, especially his nose. And I don't see an ounce of chemistry between him and Olivia. Anyway, I'm off track. Please review and let me know what you want to happen. Even if it's ideas for baby names, or what happens to Chance in prison, or anything. Feel free to review and drop the ideas. I'll listen, and credit you, I promise. Thanks for reading. Every review, every reader makes me smile. Writing is my greatest passion, and when people take the time to appreciate that, it makes all the difference. I'll shut up now =). Once again, thank you for reading and reviewing. I know I've been babbling. Sorry about that. _


	17. Confrontation

Olivia unbuttoned her coat and draped it over the back of her chair before taking her seat at her desk. The detective hit the power button on her computer and opened her desk, retrieving one of her favorite pens. Placing it on top of the large stack of files in front of her, she stood up and was just about to leave the room to make a cup of coffee when she came face to face with David, who was staring back at her expectantly. Olivia sighed. "It's not enough that you showed up at my apartment last night, but now you have to come here to harass me?" she asked, her voice laced with frustration.

David handed her a folded blue paper, which she quickly realized was the search warrant they needed to search the home of one of their most prominent suspects in a brutal rape/murder case involving an underage prostitute. "I came to give you this," he offered in explanation.

"Thank you," Olivia answered, taking it and placing it on her desk. She said nothing else, and, for several moments, neither did he. They merely stared at each other. Finally, Olivia cleared her throat and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "David, listen, about last night," she began.

"I know now why you keep turning me down," David answered. His tone was embittered and he sounded like a rejected puppy dog. "Two reasons."

Olivia looked around nervously, afraid that he would blow her secret. The last thing she needed was for it to get around that she was a lesbian, and it would be especially horrible if the men started fantasizing about her sex life with Casey. Thinking about their reactions made the detective feel extremely protective of her girlfriend. "You have absolutely no right to judge what I do in my off hours," she warned, her chocolate brown eyes flashing a back off message that screamed "back off." It strongly resembled the glare an alpha dog gave when a puppy entered its territory.

"I hope you two are happy together," David answered coldly, blinking a few times.

Olivia sighed deeply, shaking her head. "David, you are acting like a jealous little schoolboy. Know this: you can do and say whatever you want. You can even tell my boss that I am dating ADA Casey Novak, but no one likes a rat, and even if I lost my job, I would choose her over this any day, if it ever came down to that. You can handle this one of two ways: be a man and accept that I will never have any feelings for you, or be a whiny brat and go tell Cragen." Olivia pointed in the direction of the Captain's closed office door. "Make your choice. And get out of my way," she added, grabbing the warrant and leaving the room, heading for the coffee machine before she did anything else. She was shocked by how strange Haden was acting. He was obsessive, and it was frustrating. If there was one thing that annoyed Olivia, it was immaturity, especially from the people she worked with.

"Olivia, look at this."

Olivia looked up from her search of the dresser and its contents. It had been three hours since the bizarre conversation with David Haden, and she and her partner were currently utilizing the warrant by searching the suspect's home, leaving nothing untouched, per Cragen's orders. Her eyes fell upon the bag in Nick's hand, and she stood up, taking it from him. It was a white trash bag, and was less than half full. Olivia opened it and peered inside. Staring back at her was an array of items that a pervert would love. The detective rummaged through the bag and listed things as she saw them. "Lingerie, arousal gel, condoms, toys..." she trailed off, her fingers grasping a pair of handcuffs, then a roll of duct tape. "This is practically a sadist's dream," she added, shaking her head in disgust. "Did you find the murder weapon?" Olivia asked, looking at her partner curiously.

"You mean the knife?" Nick asked. Seeing Olivia nod, he sighed. "Not yet. My guess is, he dumped it."

"Aren't you a genius?" Olivia answered, her biting tone loaded with sarcasm. Seeing her partner's brow furrow as he looked at her, confused, Olivia exhaled slowly. "Sorry," she murmured.

Nick picked the bag of toys up and tied it carefully, without breaking his gaze, which was fixed on her. "Olivia, are you alright?" he asked. The concern in his voice was blatant, but sweet.

"I'm fine," Olivia answered quickly. She was not in the mood to go into detail about David, and if she did, it would mean sharing about Casey, which she was not ready for yet. She also did not want to share their secret relationship with anyone unless Casey was there and they had talked it out first, because, after all, it concerned both of them, and she knew Casey would not be ready for a long time.

Nick looked away. It was clear that he knew not to press the issue. Unlike some people, Olivia thought to herself. He glanced over at the dresser. "Find anything interesting?"

Olivia shook her head. "Beyond these half smoked cigarettes," she answered, holding up the evidence bag in question, "nothing that could be of remote use to us. The dresser is cluttered, inside and out, but nothing would help us. Those toys you found, however, will be the nail in this prick's coffin. Where did you find them?"

"Next to the television in his bedroom," Nick replied. "Along with these," he added, gesturing to a stack of what had to be at least twenty porn videos. "I swear, Olivia, I never even knew some of these fantasies existed."

"More like fetishes," Olivia responded, gently lifting one movie off of another as she read each title, reading the featured themes out loud. "We have anal, girl on girl, gang bang, cream pie..." The detective trailed off as she reached the final video, at the very bottom of the stack. "Oh my god," she murmured. Seeing her partner's inquisitive look, she held it up and answered "Kiddie porn. This son of a bitch has every type of legal video, and yet he still has to have kiddie porn on top of it?" She shook her head in disgust and opened the case, frowning as she did so.

"And it's a homemade DVD in a store bought case," Nick answered, reading over her shoulder.

Olivia looked at it, noting the title written in black permanent marker along the edge of the disc. "Jacob and Marissa," she read, her eyebrows arching curiously. "Bag it," the brunette ordered. "I can only imagine what this sicko did," she scoffed.

Two hours later, Olivia, Nick, Cragen, and Amanda crowded in front of the giant screen in the squad room, watching the video, which was becoming more gruesome with each passing second. It had started with a close up shot of a young girl bound and gagged, and asleep on a bed, then had zoomed out when she woke up. She appeared to be about ten years old, and had pale skin and long, dark brown hair. A masked attacker walked on screen and quickly cut her with a huge knife, and the ruby red blood appeared on her stomach.

Olivia looked away. "I can't watch this," the detective murmured. She turned her back and sighed deeply, biting her lip in frustration.

By the time the video was over, Olivia was a seething cauldron of anger. She stalked out of the room and poured a cup of coffee, and, leaving it black, finished it in a few gulps of the lukewarm liquid .Pouring another cup, she downed that too, before making a third cup and carrying it out into the squad room and to her desk. She sat down so roughly that the coffee almost sloshed out of the cup and all over her files. Olivia breathed a sigh of relief as the black liquid settle within the confines of the cup once more. The last thing she needed right now was for her files to get stained and ruined by coffee.

"Olivia, my office, now."

Olivia was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard the Captain's orders. She had been in the process of making a thorough list of the evidence they had against Jacob Pritchard, including the sex toys, tape, what little DNA they had saved from one of the victims' thighs, and now, the homemade video, which documented both rape and kiddie porn, which, in itself was a double offense. Olivia could not wait to pin the bastard on every crime she possibly could. She clicked her pen shut and stood up, walking into the Captain's office. "Captain-" she began.

"Close the door, Olivia," Cragen ordered. As Olivia complied with the command, Cragen sighed and watched her sit down in front of the desk. "Olivia, has something been bothering you?"

Olivia shook her head. "No, Captain," she replied, resenting the fact that she had to lie.

"I saw you talking to Haden earlier. I may not have heard what was going on in the conversation between you two, but even I could see that something was bothering you."

Olivia sighed deeply, biting her bottom lip thoughtfully. "He just hasn't learned his place here yet," she replied. "We have that problem with every new ADA here, you know that. I was this way towards Cabot, and I was this way towards Novak, and Greylek, and everyone after."

"This is different," Cragen informed her, sighing. "You two don't seem to click."

"We have differing opinions on things," Olivia replied. "He has his way of handling things, and I have mine. Sometimes our personal views..." The detective trailed off, searching mentally for the right word to place without revealing everything. "Our personal views conflict," she said finally.

Cragen shook his head. "Olivia, is this going to be a problem?" he asked candidly.

"If it becomes a problem, I will come to you," Olivia promised. The problem was not David himself, but she could not tell her boss that without going into why. If she went into why, it would mean admitting that she and Casey were sleeping together, and, for the second time that day, Olivia was faced with the reality that she was not ready to be fully out to her coworkers or, especially, her boss.

"Okay," Cragen agreed, nodding. "Now go collar the son of a bitch who is out there raping little girls while we sit here contemplating the meaning of life."

Olivia managed a soft smile at the captain's order. "Yes, Captain," she answered, standing up. Without waiting for another word, the detective opened the door and walked out, headed to her desk, and reached for her jacket, pulling it on. As she buttoned it, she looked at her partner, who was across from her at his own desk. "We have a suspect to catch," she announced.

"I just got a call from his law firm. He called his boss and told him he would be in to pick up his check at three this afternoon."

Olivia checked her watch and sighed. "It's 1:45 now," she read. "We need to hustle if we plan on getting across town to arrest this creep on time."

Nick nodded and stood up, pulling his own jacket on. He followed Olivia out of the squad room, close on her heels. After months of dead ends, they finally had a series of leads, and a suspect, and the tensions within the squad had eased somewhat because of that. The man had raped over twenty little girls that they knew about, and everyone was eager to get a piece of him. The SVU detectives would settle for life in prison.


	18. Lawyer vs Lawyer

_Author's note: As promised, here goes the crediting. The idea for this chapter goes to Izzy12. For those of you who reviewed with various other ideas, I will keep my word and incorporate them, don't worry. As always, thanks for reading, and please, please, please review =).Also, I don't know why those weird symbols keep appearing in the chapters at random spots, because I promise they are letters when I type everything. I really don't know what is going on with that. Well, anyway, please review =)_

Casey was woken from a semi sound sleep by the sound of her ringing phone, which pierced the silence in the bedroom. Her eyes still glued shut with sleepiness, the redhead reached blindly for her phone, retrieving it from the nightstand. After fumbling for several moments for the answer button, she held the phone to her ear, and, without checking the caller ID, mumbled "Casey Novak."

"Casey? Did I wake you up? I had a feeling you were sleeping. I'm sorry, honey."

"Olivia, it's okay," Casey murmured, her voice quiet and soft in her current sleepy state. She was far from being coherent enough to speak clearly, at least until a few cups of coffee to revive her. "Besides, I wasn't really sleeping soundly," she admitted. "I have been waking up approximately once every half hour. I just cannot seem to get comfortable."

Olivia sighed deeply. "Well, that is perfectly understandable, given the state your body is currently in. I mean, you have a plethora of bruises and a couple of fractures, and on top of that, you're pregnant. No one could blame you for not being able to get comfortable. How are you feeling?"

"I don't know," Casey murmured. "I'm okay, I guess. If you ask me when I'm awake, I promise to have a more sophisticated answer." She paused for a moment as a realization crossed her slowly waking mind. "I thought you had some suspect hunting to do?"

"It's made especially easy when the suspect doesn't know left from right," Olivia answered. Casey heard the older woman chuckle softly on the other end.

Casey nodded, only half comprehending the beautiful detective's response. "Have you heard from David?" she asked. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she wondered where that question had come from. It was blunt, and the fact that she had even asked it surprised herself. Casey listened silently, waiting to see how Olivia would reply, fearing the older woman's anger.

"Casey, we have barely said two words to each other since he caught us. This is the first time in weeks that he hasn't been by the precinct begging me for a lunch date. I'm torn between being greatly relieved, and also somewhat offended. I guess he doesn't want to have dinner with a lesbian."  
>"Babe, I don't think it has anything to do with that," Casey assured her. "He knows you are taken, and if that doesn't make someone back off quickly, I don't know what does."<p>

Olivia sighed again. Casey switched her phone to her other ear as the detective spoke. "Casey, we need to talk. Please believe me when I say that this is not easy for me to say, any more than it will be easy for you to hear. But you need to know, and I thought it would be best if I told you."

Casey felt her heart leap into her throat. The conversation sounded all too familiar, like it was straight out of a chick flick or a sappy romance novel. "Olivia?" she asked quietly. "A-are you breaking-up-with me?" she questioned, her voice punctuated by fear.

"No, nothing like that. I promise I will never leave you. Sorry, sweetie. I didn't mean to alarm you."

"Well then don't start the conversation with words straight out of _Breaking Up: For Dummies_!" Casey responded. She sighed, instantly feeling guilty at her harsh tone. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I guess I'm just a little paranoid. I can't handle another relationship going wrong right now. I mean if you want to leave be my guest, because I wouldn't want you to be in a relationship that you don't want to be in, but of course I hope you want me, because I love you and I-"

Olivia laughed again. However, she instantly became sober once more. "Trust me when I say I will never leave you. I called because I got a call earlier. It was a strange call, but the information I received affects you." She sighed for a third time, this one deeper than the previous two. "But I changed my mind. I can't break this to you over the phone."

"Then I'll come to the precinct," Casey offered, though she knew Olivia would refuse the offer, long before the brunette's answer even came.

"How many times do I have to tell you that you are to remain in that bed, relaxing, for your sake and for the baby's?" Olivia demanded. "I will tell you when I get home. Meanwhile, do me a favor, and don't organize my kitchen alphabetically again. I still can't find my pesto sauce."

Casey smiled softly. "It's under s for sauce, then from there, look under p. You have to categorize, then alphabetize. Trust me, it makes everything easier..." She trailed off, and looked at her phone, checking the time in the upper right hand corner. "It's just past noon," she read. "Olivia, you won't be home until tonight. I'm going to be stressing until then, big time. Just tell me, babe. Please?"

"Later," Olivia promised. "I need to go. The lunch break is ending and everyone will be back soon. I'll call you when I'm leaving work."

It was Casey's turn to sigh. "Fine," the redhead conceded, though she was having difficulty comprehending why Olivia could not just tell her whatever was going on. Hearing the click that rang in her ear after Olivia hung up, Casey gently placed her phone on the nightstand beside the bed and laid on her back, looking up at the ceiling. A million thoughts raced through her mind at startling speed. _Maybe she found someone else. Maybe she had to go undercover out of town, or even out of state. Maybe David convinced her to go on a date with him, as friends or otherwise. Maybe..._

"Maybe Casey's being ridiculous," the redhead scolded herself out loud. She rarely spoke in the third person, but even she thought her ideas were insane. The only one that seemed remotely logical was that Olivia had to go undercover again, but Casey knew, if that was the case, the brunette simply would have told her over the phone. She knew it had to be something worse, whatever it was.

Slowly, Casey stood up from the bed. She walked into the bathroom and turned the shower water on as hot as she could stand it, then stepped in. She was frustrated of laying in bed all day, helpless and pathetic. She knew it was what Olivia wanted, out of protection and caring, but Casey needed her job. She need paperwork; she needed activity, and meaning, and laying around was not the way to achieve that. She was going to work, but her first stop was the precinct.

After dressing in a simple black suit, Casey zipped the skirt, sighing quietly at the tug it took to get it up all the way. "I'm getting fat at the speed of light," she mumbled, looking down at her belly, realizing that, in a few months time, she would be shopping in the maternity department.

Casey entered the squad room an hour and a half later. The first thing she noticed was that it was relatively deserted, and the only person in sight was Nick, who was sitting at his desk typing what she assumed to be his fives. "Nick, have you seen Olivia?" Casey questioned, standing beside him.

Nick looked up and smiled softly when he saw her. "She's in interrogation. Do you want me to tell her you stopped by? I can even leave a message for you, if you want."

"No, that's okay," Casey answered, shaking her head. "I think I'll just wait for her." She turned around to leave the room and head to the bench outside, nearly colliding with the person in her path in the process. Her heart beating a thousand times faster than its normal speed, Casey looked up and sighed. "David, what are you doing here? Why are you always wherever Olivia is?" she asked, her voice shaky with adrenaline and stress, in addition to her frustration. The man would not quit.

"I came to ask if Olivia wanted to have lunch with me, so we can discuss a case. Don't worry, Casey. It would just be as friends."

Casey shifted her weight. "If you want to succeed in making friends here at SVU, might I suggest not being in their faces constantly? Take it from someone who knows." She knew she was being bitchy, maybe even a bit juvenile in some senses, but seeing David every day, having some excuse to see Olivia, was infuriating, to say the least.

"I'll just leave you two alone," Nick interrupted, standing up, coffee in hand. "Thanks for the warrant, David," he added, taking the arrest warrant Haden handed him. He nodded at both Casey and David and walked out of the room, leaving the two attorneys virtually alone.

Casey sighed. She sat down on Olivia's desk, waiting patiently for her girlfriend to arrive. "Listen, what you found out about us, that's complicated enough. But with you trying to get a date every five minutes..that makes everything that much harder."  
>"Casey, relax." David walked over to Olivia's desk and stood next to where Casey was sitting. "I'm not trying to steal her, I promise. I accept that you two are what you are, and I accept that she will never sleep with me."<p>

"You're a typical man, you know that?" Casey snapped. "You could have said 'I accept that she will never date me.' Instead, you gave it a sexual undertone. Do all men have sex on the brain constantly?"

Olivia chose that moment to enter, manila file in hand. "Alright, you two, that's enough," she commanded, placing the file on her desk. "Casey's not normally like this," she said looking at David. "I promise she's normally a bundle of joy, a pleasant one, even."

"Actually, I found it rather refreshing being around a woman with a temper. I need to get back to the office." He smiled. "I'll see both of you later."

As he walked out, Casey sighed, crossing her legs as she repositioned herself on top of Olivia's desk. "Olivia, I'm sorry," she murmured. "I just feel so stressed lately, and I guess I took my anger at everything that has happened out on him. It bothers me how much he is around, especially after what he found out. Worry makes me a little crazy sometimes. I get worried, then I get sensitive." She looked up into Olivia's beautiful chocolate brown eyes apologetically. "I'll send him a written apology," she added.

"Forget that," Olivia ordered. "What the hell are you doing here, after I specifically told you to lay down and relax?"

"I had to know what is going on," Casey answered. "Olivia, I have to know. Please stop treating me like a fragile piece of glass that you have to handle with both hands to avoid dropping it. I can handle anything you tell me, especially after everything that has happened lately."

Olivia sighed. She looked around the squad room quickly to check that the few officers who were there were not paying attention. Lowering herself, the detective sat down in her chair and looked up at Casey, who was still sitting on the desk. "Casey, the call I received earlier was from the prison. They informed me that there had been a fight during breakfast, and that one of the inmates was gang raped by a group of men." She looked up into the younger woman's emerald green eyes. "And this time," she began, taking a deep breath, "Chance was the victim, not the perp."


	19. Back to the Beginning

Olivia's words resounded in Casey's mind, echoing as if they were in an enormous, empty cave. Thought after thought, and question after question sped through her brain, quickly enough that she wondered if it was possible to get whiplash from that alone. _Who had attacked the man who had beaten raped, and impregnated her? Who had saved her once and for all from the torture she had endured for more nights than she could count? _But as relieved as Casey was, it was quickly eclipsed by guilt. It was her fault he was dead. After all, she was the one who had put him there, which meant it was completely her fault. Clinging to a last bit of hope that maybe her former lover had only been attacked, the attorney tried to speak through a suddenly dry mouth. "Is he—dead?" she asked.

Her heart had leaped into her throat before Olivia even answered. The detective sighed deeply and looked into Casey's eyes. "Yes," she answered. She shook her head. "I'm so sorry, Case."  
>"It's my fault," Casey murmured, her voice choking with tears. "He's dead and I—I might as well have killed him myself." She sighed, her emerald gaze dropping to the floor, her eyes welling with the tears that had been building since the moment Olivia made the announcement that the man she had once loved had been attacked. As Olivia moved closer to her, attempting to comfort her, Casey instinctively stepped backward, surprising even herself by doing so. "It's my fault," she repeated. "If I hadn't left, if I hadn't pressed charges, he would still be alive."<p>

"And beating you, and raping you," Olivia answered. The brunette looked up at Casey. "If he was alive, you wouldn't be," she added softly, her voice laced with concern and worry.

Casey shook her head. "No one knows what could have been," she whispered. "What if he would have been a good father to the baby? What if he found some other way to relieve his stress, or if I could have gotten him to forgive me for what happened to Charlie?" As the attorney spoke, she felt her chest tighten, her heart beat faster, and the tell all dizziness consume her mind and body. She gripped the edge of Olivia's desk, immediately recognizing the all too familiar symptoms of a panic attack. "This is all my fault, Olivia," she continued, which was made somewhat difficult by the combined problem of her tear consumed voice and the fact that she was attempting to speak through a panic attack.

Olivia gently placed her hand on Casey's shoulder and gazed into her eyes. "Casey, listen to me. This is not your fault. You're safe now, and honey, that is all that matters."

"Yeah. I guess," Casey mumbled. She wiped her tears in a futile attempt to stop them from flowing before she could escape and be alone. "I have to go," she added softly. She looked into Olivia's eyes and sighed. "I need to be alone for a little while. Please. I just need some space." Hoping that her girlfriend would not follow her, Casey hurried out of the room, as quickly as she could without actually running.

An hour later, the attorney slowly took the row of steps outside of the building that had been her home for so long. Reaching for her key, she removed it from its pocket in her purse, and, holding her breath, slid it into the lock. As the door opened, Casey looked around the street for a moment, shocked that the door had opened, and that the police had not changed the locks. Stepping inside, Casey crossed the threshold and closed the door behind her, then surveyed the living room. Slowly, she made her way into the master bedroom, hoping to find peace, maybe even closure. However, seconds after entering the room, Casey collapsed on the floor and curled into a ball, sobbing quietly.

Nothing felt real. The knowledge that Chance was gone forever, along with her living nightmare, was something that should have comforted her, but instead, Casey was once again caught feeling guilty and responsible for her former lover's death. It was the same exact feeling she had only barely managed to survive when she found out Charlie had died. Guilt, responsibility, depression, anger, and flashbacks consumed her thoughts. Her heart felt as if someone had shattered it with a hammer, due to the sadness over his death. That in turn made her feel even guiltier, like she was somehow betraying Olivia by feeling guilty over betraying Chance. Casey pulled her knees to her chest and buried her head, unable to stop sobbing, until, finally, she cried herself to sleep.

"Casey, wake up." Several moments passed, before Casey felt another nudge. "Casey, honey, are you okay?" The voice was easily recognizable, even to Casey's sleepy brain, as Olivia's.

The attorney slowly opened her eyes, realizing she had fallen asleep on the floor. The first thing she noticed, upon waking, was her girlfriend's concerned gaze staring back at her. Casey sat up slowly, groaning quietly as she did so. Once she was in a sitting position, she rubbed her eyes in an attempt to force her eyes to remain open, as tempting as it was to allow them to remain shut. "Olivia...how..." The question died on Casey's lips, and all she could do was look at the older woman curiously.

Olivia sighed. "How did I know you would come here?" the detective asked. As Casey nodded, Olivia gently handed her a cup of water that the redhead had not previously noticed. "I know you, Case. I know where you go no matter what mood you're in. When you're stressed, you work yourself to death at the office. When you're happy, you enjoy being home, and when you're sad, you are drawn to the place where the event that made you sad occurred."

Too emotionally and physically exhausted to form much of a counterargument, Casey asked "If that last part is true, then, following your logic, shouldn't I be at the prison right now?"

"You're coming back to the place where it all started," Olivia replied. She sat down next to Casey and wrapped her arms around the beautiful redhead, enveloping her in a loving, protective embrace. "You cannot beat yourself up for this, Casey. You are alive, and safe. Your attacker is gone, and he will never hurt you again." Feeling Casey's attempt to pull away, Olivia refused to let go. Casey felt a mixture of love and annoyance, though could not figure which was stronger at the moment.

"How did it happen?" Casey asked, bracing herself for any possible answer.

Olivia sighed. "Three men jumped him, and they took turns raping him. One would do it, the other two would hold him down, and then they would rotate. Then, before the guards could break it up, they castrated him. He had already lost too much blood by the time the guards and the medics arrived."

Casey swallowed hard, attempting to loosen the lump in her throat. "He must have been in so much pain. I can't imagine how much it must have hurt him to go through that."

"Casey, stop feeling sorry for your rapist." Olivia placed her hand on Casey's slightly swollen stomach and gazed into the younger woman's emerald green eyes. "You need to worry more about your baby and less about how it was made, alright?"

"Our baby," Casey corrected her. She met Olivia's confused gaze. "This baby is ours, Olivia." Casey placed her hand on top of Olivia's, which was still resting on her stomach. The attorney sighed, throwing her head back and ignoring the pain as her head hit the dresser behind her. "I am the one who put him in there. If I hadn't, he wouldn't be dead right now."

Olivia sighed deeply. "Case, honey, listen to me. I am going to say this again. This is not your fault, and no one is blaming you, nor will anyone ever do so. He raped you every night for hundreds of nights. He impregnated you, and beat you. He deserved everything he got. I'm sorry to be so blunt about things, but men lie him do deserve some form of castration, be it with a rusty steak knife or a dagger, or even chemicals."

Casey rolled her eyes. "You know, if the defense ever heard you say that, SVU would lose its credibility forever. It would become known as the Special Victims Unit: where rapists are raped. I can hear the judge dismissing now." She sighed softly, looking down at her stomach. "All I want is to be a good mother to this child. But I'm scare, because of everything that has happened...I don't even feel like myself anymore. I feel exhausted all the time, and I have to fight myself to get out of bed, and the slightest thing makes me cry, or worse, it makes me angry."

"Under the circumstances, anyone could understand your depression. You have been to hell and back again." Olivia reached for Casey's hands, taking them in hers as she once more locked eyes with the beautiful attorney. "The one thing you will always have is someone to love you."

Casey nodded, smiling softly. "Hopefully two someones," she murmured, glancing one last time at her stomach. "I...um..I thought coming here would bring..." she trailed off, unable to finish.

Olivia, however, knew exactly what she was thinking, and finished her sentence. "You thought it would bring a sense of closure. I know. I've been there," the detective answered. She helped Casey to her feet and pulled her closer for a hug.

"I don't know what to do," Casey whispered, laying her head on the older woman's shoulder. "I feel helpless. I don't mean learned helplessness, although I suppose this is like that. But I just feel like I messed everything up."

Olivia gently kissed Casey on the forehead and looked into the younger woman's emerald green eyes. "Everything will be okay, I promise. You're safe, the baby is safe, and that is all that matters to me. Now what do you say we go somewhere cozy for a romantic dinner, then head home and go to bed?"

"I guess so," Casey murmured, managing a weak smile in response to the older woman's question. She reached for her car keys and managed to steady herself on her feet, after a brief spell of dizziness. Yawning, the attorney smiled softly as Olivia took her hand. "You know me too well."

"Always," Olivia answered, kissing her forehead lovingly. "Honey, are you sure you're okay? The last thing I want to do is to make you feel pressured into doing anything you do not want to do. If you would prefer to go home and take your mind off of all of this, I am fine with that. Whatever will help make you feel better."

Casey shook her head. "No, it's okay. I...I like the idea of going out, just the two of us. We have a lot to talk about, and I know being with you does help take my mind off of things." As they exited the room, Casey paused, taking one last look at the place she had spent the worst moments of her life in. "I guess this really is goodbye," she murmured, sighing wistfully. After staring at the bedroom for a few final moments, the attorney followed her girlfriend out of the room. It was time to heal, and now that Chance was gone once and for all, Casey knew that she could succeed once and for all. It was time to move on with her life, with Olivia and their baby. As much as it hurt Casey that her former lover had died in such a brutal way, she was ready, once and for all, to truly be free.


	20. A Tall, Dark Stranger

An hour later, Casey looked around the nearly deserted restaurant and sighed softly. "It's so peaceful here," she murmured. "I think, in all honesty, this is one of the most peaceful moments I have been able to relish in I don't know how long. When I was with Chance, I was expected to be home from work at a certain time, and have dinner on the table by six sharp. If I had to go into night court, he would go with me and sit right behind me to make sure I was not going anywhere, talking to anyone, or saying things I should not have been." Casey shook her head at the memory. "It wasn't me," she added quietly. "When I'm stressed, I need work. In a weird way, it relaxes me."

Olivia nodded, taking a sip of her red wine. She placed it carefully on the table and sighed. "Casey, I hate to add ashes to a slowly extinguished fire here, but I really wish you had come to me with this. I could have helped you, or at least prevented you from being hurt any further or..."

The detective trailed off, but it took Casey half a second to understand what she meant. "Or becoming pregnant?" she asked. She sighed and looked down at her slightly swollen stomach. "Do you want to know why I'm keeping this baby?" she asked, looking up and meeting Olivia's penetrating chocolate brown gaze.

"Because you don't believe in abortion. I know, Casey. I have always known that."

"No." Casey paused. "Well, that is part of it," she conceded. "But there is so much more at stake here than my beliefs. Ever since I can remember, I have always wanted to be a mother. I wanted a baby of my own, to take care of, and nurture. I know it seems like a bad decision to have a baby from an abuser, but I think, in a lot of ways, it is just what I need to move on. Maybe it's not from the right father. But I can't bring myself to punish an innocent baby just because half of its DNA is from a rapist. Being pregnant is like that little light at the end of the tunnel...and I have every intention of moving towards it until I reach the end." Casey reached for her water and shook her head. She had just taken a tiny sip when their server arrived, pen poised over pad.

"What can I get you ladies tonight?" came the usual question. Looking up, Casey could see a girl who couldn't have been more than eighteen. Her bleached blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail, accentuated with chopsticks.

Olivia glanced down at her menu one more time before answering. "I think I'm going to have a steak, medium rare, with a baked potato and green beans on the side. And can I get more wine please?"

The girl's pen flew across her notepad as she copied down Olivia's order. She nodded, then turned to Casey. "And for you?"

"I'll have the same thing, please, in addition to roasted chicken, corn, peas, and a salad, extra large, if that's possible."

The girl copied down the order accordingly, but not without first giving Casey a strange look. The attorney read the girl's name tag, noting that her name was Amy. "Your order will be ready shortly." Amy looked at Olivia. "I'll be back with your wine in a few moments, ma'am."

As Amy left, Casey caught the strange look she was now receiving from her girlfriend. Her eyebrow arched curiously. "What did I do?" she asked, closing her menu and placing it on the edge of the table.  
>"Casey, I'm lucky if I can get you to eat a full order of beef chow mein. Do you realize you just ordered more food than you've probably ever eaten in your lifetime?"<p>

Casey shrugged and reached for the dessert menu, scanning it briefly for a moment. "I guess I'm just hungrier than usual and-" The redhead paused as her gaze fell upon the list of ice cream flavors. "Oh my gosh, they have cookie dough," she exclaimed.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "You're insane," she muttered, taking the final sip of her wine, just as the waitress returned with the refill.

Forty five minutes later, their food was placed on the table in front of them. Amy recited everything they had requested and glanced over at Casey oddly for the third time that night. "Here is your chicken, steak, corn, peas, and both baked potatoes." It was clear from the look on her face that she was confused. Shaking her head, she stalked off.

Casey watched her, now confused herself. "Okay, since when is eating a lot a crime?"

"It's not, honey, especially when you're eating for two. That gives you an excuse."

Casey nodded, blushing. "I feel hungrier, sleepier, and sorer than I ever have before. Being pregnant is draining, it really is..." The attorney trailed off, and in the brief silence that followed between her and Olivia, they were able to hear the clinking of silverware at the few other occupied tables, and even low voices.

"You are going to be an amazing mother, Case," Olivia responded, smiling.

"So are you," Casey answered quickly, though she meant every word of it. Meanwhile, her attention had been diverted to a table two behind Olivia. It was a couple, but the back of the guy's head looked all too familiar. Casey shook her head, figuring she was losing her mind in her current exhausted state. "I really do feel like my life has been a roller coaster right now. It's sort of stagnant at the moment, but I can't help but feel like I'm climbing the sharp, slow incline that immediately precedes the terrifying drop. Olivia, I can't handle another sharp drop. I've had enough sharp drops to last a lifetime."  
>Olivia nodded in agreement. "I know. I promise I'll protect you. As long as I'm around, no one will hurt you ever again. If they even think about laying a finger on you or the baby, they will find themselves in the cage with a feral animal."<p>

"Yeah, yeah, you're so vicious," Casey answered, her lips curling up in a tiny smile. She looked at the clock and sighed. "This is the time of the day I usually had to start dinner so it would be ready and on the table the minute he got home and walked in the door."

"Stop torturing yourself," Olivia ordered. Her chocolate brown gaze penetrated Casey's emerald green one. "You're safe now, and so is the baby. That is all that matters." The detective reached for her knife and, with apparent lack of effort, easily sliced her steak.

"Sorry," Casey apologized quickly. Feeling self conscious, she attempted to change the subject. Her gaze fell upon the pink streak in the older woman's meat. "How can you eat that?" she asked. "It's not even fully cooked, technically."

Olivia answered through a mouthful of steak. Casey was only able to make out the words "It tastes sweeter" and "blood".

"I'll stick to making sure mine is not raw, thanks," Casey replied. "I like my meat cooked." She looked down as Olivia took her hand and intertwined their fingers. "You know, if I didn't have you, I wouldn't be sitting here right now. I would either be in a coffin or in an asylum."

Olivia brushed her thumb lightly across the back of Casey's hand and smiled at her. "Casey, Chance is gone. He will never be able to hurt you again. You're safe, once and for all. It's safe to move on from this, to have a happy life again. And I promise you that I will do everything in my power to give you that."

"Why do you want me?" Casey asked, surprising even herself with the question. Seeing Olivia's eyes narrow in confusion, one of many of the detective's personal traits, Casey dropped her own gaze, focusing on the plain red tablecloth. "I'm so messed up," she whispered. "I'm damaged, Olivia. Why would you want someone like me, when you can easily find someone who has little to no baggage, and who you don't have to worry about losing your job over?"

Olivia sighed deeply. The brunette reached across the table and lifted Casey's chin, forcing the younger woman to look into her eyes once more. "Casey Novak, you know me better than that. You know that I don't often let people into my life. They either don't understand me, or they are incapable o f understanding what I have to deal with every day, or some other reason. But you're different. You understand both of those things, and so much more. I can't deny how I feel about you. Trust me, Casey, I've tried. But now I am at the point where I know that it is a futile attempt. I can't change how I feel about you."

Casey nodded, shaking her head. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, wiping a tear that had suddenly rolled out of her emerald eyes and down her cheek. "I just want to make you happy."

"You do," Olivia assured her, smiling brightly. "Trust me, you do, in every possible way."

"You saved me," Casey murmured, so quietly that only Olivia could hear her. "You're like my knight in shining armor."

Olivia grinned. "Really? You don't think this armor makes me look fat?"

Casey giggled, rolling her eyes. "No, no I don't. I do, however, find it quite charming." She looked down at their fingers, which were still intertwined in the middle of the table. "I'm ready to move on," she said. "I'm ready to be happy again."

"Glad to hear it," Olivia replied. "I love you, Case."

"I love you too," Casey murmured, meeting the older woman's gaze. "Forever."

"And for always," Olivia added, smiling.

The two women gazed into each other's eyes for several moments, the mutual love and respect nearly tangible. Their moment was interrupted, however, when an argument erupted at the very table Casey's attention had been drawn to mere minutes prior. The girl stood up and ran out after shouting, and the man began to follow her, but stopped halfway between the table Casey and Olivia occupied, and the one next to them.

Casey shrugged, turning back to Olivia. "Why do people always break up at romantic restaurants?" she asked. "And it's always the guy angering the girl, rarely the other way around. Do you ever feel like you're in high school all over again?" she asked.

"Now that you mention it, yeah, this is a lot like that," Olivia answered. The detective took another bite of steak and chewed it thoughtfully. "But then again, there are some phases some people never grow out of. And as far as it being the men who usually mess up, that's because nobody knows what to say to a woman except a woman. Men are notorious for thinking with the wrong head."

Casey rolled her eyes. "You're such a man hater, babe. You really do think of men as the worst things on the planet."

"Men are perverts," Olivia answered. "I'm not saying women aren't, but men go on dates with one thing in mind: getting laid. You give me one that doesn't, and I will make sure to pay you my salary for the next fifty years."

"Good point," Casey conceded. The attorney reached for her water, taking a tiny sip. She looked up just as the man dashed out towards his date. Even from the opposite end of the restaurant as the entrance, Casey and Olivia could hear a rather loud argument. Suddenly, the man re-entered, though neither Casey or Olivia were paying any attention. They wee too busy gazing into each other's eyes once more, lost in their own loving world.

"Olivia? Casey? I didn't know you two ate here."

Casey looked up, and mentally kicked herself for failing to recognize the stranger before. He was now standing directly in front of their table. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Luckily, Olivia took the initiative. "David, we didn't know _you_ ate here," the detective answered, smiling.

"I don't," he admitted. "Cindy dragged me here." He gestured towards the entrance on the other side of the restaurant, indicating the already obvious fact that he was speaking of the girl he had just chased after. "It was a blind date, but it failed. I'm used to it by now."

Casey nodded, only half listening. "Mmhm," she murmured. "Well, um..." The attorney swallowed her resentment, took a deep breath, and said "Since you got rejected tonight, you can eat with us if you want." Casey slid over to the window, allowing David to take the outside.

"I don't want to impose," David replied.

"No, really, it's fine," Casey assured him quickly. She offered him a breadstick from the bowl. "Take it," she requested, though it sounded more like a demand. As David sat down, though slowly, Casey nodded and turned her attention back to Olivia, whose face resembled someone who had just seen E.T in their back yard. Casey shrugged in response, not saying a word. It was time to move on, not just from Chance. It was also time to move on and stop resenting the man who kept hitting on her girlfriend, which Casey was making every effort to do. Regardless of how difficult it was.

_Author's note: Well, what did you guys think? I have ideas for this story, it's just a matter of incorporating them. Meanwhile, please review, and thanks for reading. =)_


	21. An Inch for a Mile

_Author's note: Hey everyone. I'm really sorry for the long update break. For some off the wall reason, this story hasn't been letting me publish new chapters. Also, I deleted the original chapters twenty one and twenty two, because I was sick when I did them, and extremely desperate (which screws my writing skills) and I have since realized just how ridiculous they were. I just want to say, I'm really sorry for that. I promise things are better now, and now that I am FINALLY over this stupid flu, and that, well, I'm back! :) _

_This chapter takes place a month after the run in with David at the restaurant. Casey is now in her second trimester, and she and Olivia have been planning their wedding. _

Casey opened her eyes slowly, wincing at the glaring sunlight that streamed into the bedroom. She groaned softly and rubbed her eyes, and realized she had fallen asleep completely naked. A quick visual sweep of the bedroom revealed that Olivia had already left for work, leaving a note in her place. Casey, too sleepy to comprehend much, had to read it twice. The note contained a simple good morning, loving message, and explanation that Olivia would call when she was leaving the precinct that night. Casey sighed and placed the note on the nightstand before slowly sitting up and swinging her legs over the bed.

Reaching for her robe, which was hanging on the chair on her side of the bed, the young attorney pulled it around her naked body and cinched it around her waist, which was made rather difficult by her swollen stomach, which, at six months, was roughly the size of a basketball. Casey carefully made her way over to the window and closed the curtains, as the sunlight was adding heavily to her early morning migraine.

One thing was sure: she was not looking forward to the day ahead of her. Her back was extremely sore, her head was pounding, and if she had to choose between snuggling under the warm covers and falling asleep once more or enduring the day of endless meetings and hearings ahead of her, the attorney would have gladly chosen the former of the two options. With a sleepy yawn, Casey stumbled into the bathroom, closed the door, and walked over to the shower. Turning the water to the hottest temperature she could withstand, she waited it for it to heat before she stepped in and drew the curtain.

An hour and a half later, she unlocked her office door and sighed as she entered. Checking the time, Casey shook her head. Her first meeting was at eleven, which was exactly forty five minutes away in her boss's office. In the meantime, the redhead decided to pass the time by cleaning. Her office was immaculate, but Casey, ever the neat freak, cleaned everything at least once a day. Deciding to begin with the desk, she knelt down and opened the bottom drawer. Every file inside was stacked perfectly and organized by case type and category. These were the files that she had not yet placed in the file cabinet, as the cases were still in progress. Yawning, she closed the drawer and moved to the next one, which contained her pens and highlighters. Casey carefully reorganized them, color coding them. Finally, she opened the top drawer.

This was the drawer that had always brought her the most pain. Inside were two simple pictures, but the meaning behind them had kept Casey awake and in tears for many a night. The first was a picture of herself with Charlie, the second with Chance. Both men had broken her emotionally and physically, and Casey knew she should not care anymore, and that the pictures should be torn to shreds and thrown away. But as she lifted the images out of the drawer and slowly sat down in her chair, the attorney reflected on the reasons she had kept them. She had been bruised, broken, and bloodied more times than she could count, but she had loved both men. The pictures stayed in her drawer to remind her of the pain she had endured for so long, which, as strange as it sounded, helped her heal.

But it was more than that. Charlie had been her love, and for leaving him in the cold, she felt eternally guilty, even almost ten years later. Casey kept the picture of them as a way of apologizing to him, since he was dead, a fact that she felt fully responsible for, and she had no other way of doing so. And Chance had hurt her worse than Charlie ever had. He had degraded her, broken her, and nearly destroyed any strength she had left. But he was the father of her child, and Casey found herself unable to destroy one of the last remnants she had of him. She felt it was her responsibility to her child to keep the image of its father.

As she stared at the pictures in her hand, Casey felt her emerald eyes sting with tears. However, she quickly bit them back when she heard a knock on the door. "Just a second," she called out softly, hating how her voice cracked as she fought against the urge to cry. Quickly, she replaced the pictures and closed the top drawer of her desk, and turned around. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly, and willed her tears not to fall. "The door's open," she added softly, crossing her legs. She desperately hoped that she was not going to have to deal with any defense attorneys, because she was hardly in the mood for stupidity.

The door opened slowly, and, instead of a defense attorney, Olivia was standing in the doorway. Noticing Casey, the detective quickly closed the door and walked over to her. "Casey?" she asked, kneeling down beside the younger woman. "What's wrong, baby? Why are you crying?"

"I'm not," Casey answered, though the crack in her voice and her shiny eyes told a different story. She hated to lie to Olivia, but she also hated to make her worry.

"Almost crying is just as bad," Olivia answered gently. "Tell me what's wrong. You should know by now that you can tell me anything, and I'll listen."

Casey nodded. "I know," she murmured. "I just can't help but feel like the biggest bitch on the planet. I kick a guy out and he ends up dead on the street, clipped by a passing cab. Then, not ten years later, I send his brother to prison, where he gets brutalized and murdered." The redhead shook her head. "There's something wrong with me, Olivia," she whispered.

"Hey," Olivia answered, walking behind the beautiful attorney and kissing her neck. Moments later, Casey felt the detective's strong hands as she massaged her shoulders lovingly. Feeling her girlfriend's touch relaxed Casey a bit, and she exhaled slowly. "There is nothing wrong with you, Casey. You are beautiful and sweet, and I will love you for as long as I live. None of this is your fault, sweetie."

Casey turned around and buried her head in Olivia's stomach. She exhaled slowly, trying to relieve some of the guilt that had weighed on her for months. Olivia held her, stroking her hair reassuringly, and whispering loving words. That was how they stayed for several moments, with no sound in the office save Olivia's quiet, affectionate murmurs, and the ticking of the clock on the wall.

"Casey, do you want to postpone the wedding?" Olivia asked abruptly.

Casey immediately lifted her head, quickly enough to send a sharp pain through her neck. "What?" she asked. "No. I want to marry you. I want to spend my life as your wife, and with each passing day, I become more and more excited for our special day. I'm ready, Olivia. I'm sorry for being such a pain, I just need time to fully get over what happened. But there is no way in hell that I will let that interfere with _us_."

Olivia smiled softly, and began rubbing Casey's lower back in gentle circles. "As long as you are sure you're ready, we will keep the date. But if anything changes, and you feel you need more time, I want you to tell me. I promise I won't be angry, or even hurt. I would wait a million years if it meant seeing my beautiful bride walking down the aisle at the end."

"Stop it," Casey murmured, her cheeks reddening, turning the color of her long curls.

"Stop what?" Olivia asked, lifting the young attorney's head gently so that she could gaze into her emerald eyes. Her fingertips rested on Casey's chin.

Casey shook her head. "Stop making me feel like I could faint in your arms over what you say to me. I always wanted to be a damsel in distress, but damn, I'm not that helpless."

"Aw, baby, I would never make you a damsel in distress," Olivia answered. "Or would I?" Smirking, the detective pulled Casey onto her feet and into her arms, kissing her passionately.

Casey let out a little whimper. "Olivia," she moaned, attempting to deepen the kiss. In the back of her mind, the attorney knew she was due for her meeting shortly, but she only wanted to enjoy the way her girlfriend was kissing her. For a few moments at least.

But even that hope was destroyed when Olivia's cell phone suddenly rang. Olivia sighed deeply, gently breaking the kiss. "Sorry," she whispered, hitting the answer button on her phone. "Benson." For the next several moments, Casey stood silently next to the older woman, listening to the conversation. After a few minutes, Olivia said "I'll be right there." She hung up and looked at Casey, an apology clouding her chocolate brown eyes. "A body was found three blocks from that new restaurant on the Upper West Side. A little girl. The ME is estimating she is around eight or nine."

"Go," Casey answered. She kissed Olivia once more. "I feel better now. Thank you, babe. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Lose it?" Olivia proposed. "Oh wait, you already did that." A smirk formed on the detective's face.

Casey rolled her eyes. "Just go," she answered, leaning against her desk. "Call me when you're on your way home, because I need to know when to start dinner." She paused for a moment, then added "Can you believe that there will be three of us in less than three months?"

Olivia nodded. "I know. And I love both of you," she replied. Bending down, she kissed Casey's stomach gently, then smiled and kissed the younger woman on the lips. "I'll see you tonight, beautiful. Promise me you'll get some rest when you get home."

"I promise," Casey assured her. "I love you."

"I love you too," Olivia answered, kissing her one last time. And then, she was gone.

Casey checked the time once more and sighed. Her meeting was due to begin shortly. Reaching for her purse, she powered down her computer and walked out of the office to make her way to her boss's office. But in her haste, and her current scatterbrained state, she had forgotten to lock the office door.

_Author's note: Well, what did everyone think? Please review. It's been a long time, I know...I'm sorry. I've been sick and emotionally worn out, and neither state is conducive to writing. I promise I'm back now though. Thanks for reading, and please, please review. _


	22. Of All People

_Author's note: Though SVU does not currently have a main district attorney, I alternate between Branch and McCoy, a tribute reminiscent of the olden SVU days. This story features Branch. As always, thank you for reading, and please review. =)_

Casey knocked on her boss's office door and hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to enter or not. However, her decision was quickly made for her when she heard Branch's order for her to enter. Sighing, the attorney opened the door and stepped into the office, closing the door behind her. She looked over at the desk, where Branch was sitting, his hands folded as her stared calmly back at her. "I know I'm a little early," Casey began, wondering why her mouth suddenly felt so dry, and why she felt incredibly nervous. It was a feeling that usually preceded the occurrence of something terrible.

"I would much rather you be early than late," Branch replied, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk. It was a silent request for Casey to sit, which the attorney promptly did. "You look like hell, Casey. What is going on with you?"

Casey bit her bottom lip, hard enough to draw a bead of blood. Aside from being pregnant with her abuser's child, she hadn't the slightest idea how to answer his question. Instead, she settled on replying "Nothing I can't handle. I'm just a little tired is all." Immediately, the redhead mentally smacked herself, knowing that admitting to being tired to her boss was the equivalent of telling him she wanted to be sent home. Attempting to change the subject, she asked "Have you heard anything from Mrs. Ramirez about her son's location?"

"She is still claiming he has had no contact with her, but we have someone tailing her just in case."

Casey nodded. "I hope she realizes that if she fails to tell us where he is, she will be placed in contempt."

Branch sighed, capping his pen. "She was already informed of that fact. Please don't change the subject, Casey. I know it is hard, but if you need to talk, you have to know that I am here for you."

"I know," Casey murmured, forcing herself to maintain eye contact with him. "I'm just busy is all. But I'm handling it. And I know you're concerned, but I promise this baby is not interfering with anything, nor will it ever. It is not clouding my judgment or my ability to prosecute cases objectively or-"

Branch cut her off, holding his hand up. "I believe you. But I also know that you have been extremely overworked lately, and I can see by looking at you the toll it is taking on your health and your body, which is precisely why I have made the decision I have."

"What decision?" Casey asked. She tried to ignore the pain in her lower back, and her breasts.

"I want you on maternity leave until three months after the baby is born."

Casey felt her jaw drop, and shock quickly paralyzed every other thought in her mind. "That's six months out of work!" she cried, forgetting, in her emotionally upset state, to add the word 'sir'.

"It is standard maternity leave," he answered calmly. "My decision is made."

"What about my cases?" Casey asked, feeling her frustration mount within her. "I have hearings scheduled, and trials, and I have to be there." It was far from her strongest argument, but it was spoken from her heart rather than her brain.

Branch shook his head, signaling his firmness in his decision. "You need rest, for your sake and the baby's. And since I know you would not take the time off of your own volition, and would run yourself into the ground before taking your vacation time, I have made the choice for you. I'm not punishing you, Casey. I wish you would stop looking at it that way."

"I'm being ordered to stay home for six months. How should I look at?" Casey questioned. She sighed, her gaze dropping. "Sorry," she mumbled.

Branch folded his hands on top of his desk once more and looked over at her. "You'll be fine. And as far as your cases go, I have already reassigned them, so you have no need to worry."

"Who have they been reassigned to?" Casey inquired without looking up.

"Alexandra Cabot."

Casey's gaze snapped up immediately. "So you're sending me home and assigning my caseload to the one person I have always felt to be my biggest competition?" The attorney instantly cursed herself for being so candid. It wasn't as if Branch particularly cared about her insecurities. He was her boss. It was not his job to worry over her schoolgirl-like issues with her predecessor.

But Branch's answer surprised her. "Casey, you are both incredible prosecutors, and that is precisely why I placed you both in sex crimes. Why do you feel as if you have to compete with her?"

Casey pondered her answer for a few moments. She shook her head. "She was there before me. There wasn't one member in the SVU who took kindly to me upon first meeting me, and they could deny it, but I could never shake the feeling that it was because they missed having her around. And then there's the fact that-" She stopped talking suddenly, mentally scolding herself.

"The fact that?" Branch questioned, encouraging her to continue with her confessions.

"It's nothing," Casey replied quietly. She had very narrowly spilled the beans about herself and Olivia. What was she supposed to say? _"I feel threatened by Alex because Olivia was in bed with her before me."_ She could only imagine how well that would go over.

Branch seemed to sense her hesitation about continuing. Rather than pressing her for information, he responded "As I said. You are both very talented, and while you are out, you can trust her with your cases."

Casey shook her head. "When do you want me to start this mandatory vacation time?" she asked. She had a feeling she already knew the answer.

Branch only confirmed her suspicion. "Today," he answered. "You are officially on your six month vacation, effective immediately. If you need anything, I want you to call. I may be your boss, but I do not believe I have ice running through my heart."

"Okay," was all Casey could answer. She was still in shock over his revelation. Why did it have to be _her_ of all people to take her caseload? Casey felt the swirl of emotions spark once more within her, including the insecurity she had bottle for years. She stood up slowly, forcing herself to re-initiate contact with Branch. "Thank you...sir..."

Branch nodded. "Go get some rest, and whatever you do, do not give your child some exotic name. I need to know how to spell when I make out the cards."

Casey managed a soft smile. "I promise," she answered quietly, before turning around and exiting the office after saying goodbye once more. She made her way back to her office and packed everything she would need at home, including her laptop and briefcase. Sighing, the attorney buttoned her coat and exited the office, heading towards the elevator. Little did she know that there was already someone inside.  
>"I thought you went home, Case," Alex offered.<p>

Casey turned to look at the blonde, who she had long considered to be one of her worst enemies. "I was just leaving," she answered, not intending the coldness that accompanied her words.

Alex nodded. If anyone would have entered, they would have been able to cut the tension between the two attorneys with a knife. The blonde looked down at Casey's stomach, subtly, but obviously enough for Casey to catch it. "Are you having a boy or a girl?" she asked, clearly attempting to shift the awkwardness.

"I'm not sure," Casey answered. It was a bit of a white lie, but she had no intention of revealing the baby's gender to anyone before Olivia knew. And Olivia wouldn't know until she got home later that night. "Listen, Alex..." Casey trailed off, biting her lip thoughtfully. "If uh...if you want to stop by sometime, that would be fine." She reached into her purse and retrieved a piece of paper and her favorite pen, and jotted down her address. Handing it to Alex, she offered a tiny smile. "Anytime's fine." Just then, the elevator doors slid open, revealing the parking garage. Casey stepped outside.

"Casey?" Alex called after her.

Casey turned around. "Yes?" the attorney questioned, as she attempted to minimize her suspicion. It was rather difficult, however. It was far from easy being in the same room as the woman who had once been Olivia's love.

"Thank you," Alex answered. "I'll be sure to stop by sometime. Good luck with the baby."

Casey nodded, and offered a hasty goodbye before quickly making her way to her car. It wasn't that she had intended to be such a bitch. But it was extremely difficult being around the woman who had been her predecessor in the courtroom and the bedroom, and Casey struggled every day with the fact that Olivia had once dated the blonde. She felt incapable of competing.

Once she arrived home an hour later, Casey hung her coat on the rack near the door, placed her laptop on the dining room table, and carried her briefcase into the bedroom, placing it neatly in the closet. Sitting on the bed, she reached for the letter from the doctor, which was sitting on the nightstand, and opened the envelope. Removing the sonogram and note inside, she smiled softly, tracing her fingertips across the black and white image of her baby. She couldn't wait to tell Olivia.

To pass the time, Casey laid on her back on top of the covers, and slowly drifted into a light sleep. Her hand rested on her swollen belly protectively.

Hearing the front door open, Casey was startled out of her catnap. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and sat up carefully just as a figure entered the bedroom. It was Olivia. Casey smiled softly. "Hey, babe," she murmured as Olivia kissed her. As Olivia removed her gun and shield and tossed them onto the nightstand, sitting down next to Casey on the bed, the redhead looked over at her. "Branch sent me home for six months," she offered.

"What?" Olivia asked. Concern flashed across the detective's face.

Casey shook her head. "He said I am clearly too exhausted to work, so he ordered me on maternity leave. And um...he gave my cases to Alex." She looked at Olivia, wondering how she would react.

Olivia scratched her nose carefully, and Casey knew she was debating how to respond. "So for the next six months, we will be calling her when we need warrants?" As Casey shrugged, Olivia wrapped her arms around her lovingly, kissing the top of the younger woman's head. "I know how worried you are, Case. But I promise you, I have no feelings for her, baby. And besides...you complete me in ways she never could."

"So even when I'm laying here like a helpless blimp, you won't be with her?" Casey asked.

"Considering that helpless blimp you speak of will be my wife soon?" Olivia questioned. She smiled softly and kissed the top of Casey's head again. "Of course not," she added quickly, seeing the glare Casey gave her. "I don't want her. I want you. I want you as my wife and the mother of our child."

Feeling reassured, Casey exhaled slowly, and sat up once more, looking into Olivia's eyes. She had realized, during Olivia's speech, that the detective was telling the truth, and she trusted her absolutely. "Olivia, I was going to wait until later, but I think now is the right time," Casey began. She took a deep breath, and, seeing the confused look on Olivia's face, she grinned. "We're having a girl!"


	23. The Blushing Bride

The next several weeks crept by at a snail's pace. This was due largely to the fact that Casey was ordered home by her boss and then bedridden by her doctor, who wanted to make sure everything went well in the final months of her pregnancy. The only time she was truly allowed to leave her house arrest for any significant amount of time was her wedding day.

Casey woke early in the morning to the sound of her phone's alarm, alerting her that it was precisely five AM. With a quiet whimper, she fumbled in the darkness for her phone. Finding it on the nightstand, she spent the next several minutes groping for the snooze button. Once the beeping finally stopped, the redhead rolled onto her other side and settled into a light half-sleep state. But that was quickly interrupted by her alarm, which blared ten minutes later. Casey sighed and sat up, rubbing her eyes. Grabbing her phone, she took a few moments to adjust to the bluish white light thrown by the screen. Turning the alarm off, she lightly tossed the phone onto the bed and slowly stood up, wincing at the dizziness that shot through her.

She had fallen asleep alone, which was not that rare, given Olivia's random call ins at the strangest hours. But that, coupled with waking up alone, and seeing not a good morning text nor note left on her side of the bed, was a bit disconcerting. Olivia, determined to give Casey her fantasy wedding, was following tradition in every possible way. This included, of course, not seeing the bride before the wedding, which meant the detective had spent the past two nights in a hotel near the precinct.

Resisting the urge to text the older woman, Casey stumbled into the bathroom and let out an enormous sleepy yawn before slowly turning the shower knobs to the hottest temperature she could stand. As the water heated, Casey gently placed her hand on her swollen belly and smiled softly. "I love you," she murmured softly, though she knew it was irrational, and that, in all likelihood, the baby couldn't hear her.

As the steam began to funnel out of the shower, warming the bathroom in the process, Casey gently moved the curtain aside and stepped in, closing it behind her. For the next half hour, she washed, rinsed, and repeated the process on every inch of her body. Once the shower was finished and she could no longer stand the heat, she turned the water off and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her naked body and wringing her hair in the tub to avoid getting the tiled floor wet. Carefully making her way to the sink, Casey reached for two switches: the light, and the fan. The last thing she needed while getting ready was a humid bathroom, especially since being pregnant meant she overheated all too easily.

Casey carefully brushed her long red hair and pulled it into a semi bun, clipping it with her favorite black clip. Her hair appointment was her first, and began at eight AM. Yawning once more, Casey dressed in a simple black dress and her favorite pumps. Within ten minutes, she was on the road. The clock in the car read 6:45. She still had over a half hour before she needed to be on the highway headed for the salon. She contemplated stopping for tea, and maybe some breakfast, but as she drove, the butterflies in her stomach quickly convinced her that it would not be the best idea to eat. She did, however, need tea, and fast.

Pulling into the parking lot of her favorite cafe, Casey made her way inside and ordered an extra large mint tea. She requested her drink to go and smiled softly, paying when her order arrived. Carrying the drink outside, Casey satin her car, rolled the windows down, and thought about how much she was craving a cup of coffee. It was, of course, something she couldn't have, due to her pregnancy. Sighing, she sipped her tea and looked out the window as a couple, holding hands, pranced into the very cafe she had just exited. Casey watched, wondering if, after today, she and Olivia would be that sort of couple.

She was startled out of her thoughts when her phone rang, piercing the silence. Casey placed her tea in the cup holder between the driver and passenger seats and retrieved her phone from her purse. Checking the caller id, she sighed and answered it. "Good morning." Her greeting, she realized, betrayed how half asleep she still was.

The voice that answered her had become all too familiar. "Morning," Alex's voice chirped back. Casey listened, biting her lip thoughtfully. She had invited Alex mostly to please Olivia. She had not yet formulated a full opinion about her blonde predecessor. Truthfully, a small part of her believed that Alex still had feelings for Olivia; it was a feeling she could not shake, especially given what had happened at the dinner the other night.

_Olivia handed Casey the water the young attorney had requested, which had a lemon wedge on the rim. Kissing the top of the younger woman's head, the detective pulled out a chair and sat down next to her. Casey thanked her, and took a small sip of her drink. The conversation had been relatively light so far, but she attributed this to the fact that there were only three of them: herself, Olivia, and Alex, who Casey had invited in a gesture of friendship._

_ As she took a sip of her water and placed it down, Casey accidentally knocked over Olivia's wine. "Oh my god," she cried, the mortification consuming her. She jumped up, reaching for the stack of napkins on their table, and the empty one behind her._

_ "I got it, sweetheart. It's okay," Olivia assured her, ordering her to sit back down. Casey tried to protest, saying that the mess was her fault, but Olivia, always overprotective, ordered her once more to sit. Alex jumped up to help Olivia, and they shared a brief second where their hands met on different napkins, as they attempted to clean the same stain at the same time. Casey watched as Alex's icy blue gaze locked with Olivia's chocolate brown. She recognized the look immediately. It was love that had never ended. _

"Casey?" Alex asked, pulling Casey back to the present day. "Are you alright?"

"Hmmm?" Casey questioned, blinking as her mind collided with reality. "Uh." She shook her head. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking. How are you?" She had avoided talking to Olivia about the restaurant incident, and Alex's obvious love for the detective, because she knew she sounded paranoid, and truthfully, she wanted to trust Alex. She wanted to befriend her predecessor, or at least be on civil terms with her. She was willing to give Alex the benefit of the doubt and believe that she would not go after a married woman. After all, Casey's strong sense of intuition had not yet informed her that the blonde was a backstabbing bitch, and she hoped it never would.

"I'm great," Alex answered. It was clear, even from the other end of the line, that she was smiling. "Are you excited for the big day?"

"Excited...and terrified..." Casey qualified. "I'm just glad Olivia's willing to be seen with a walking bowling ball," she murmured.

Alex chuckled softly. "You're not fat, Case. And you know Olivia's not like that. You're going to look incredible. But Olivia cares about so much more than how you look on the outside. She cares about the beauty inside, which you are full of," the blonde assured her.

Casey blushed, and was grateful Alex could not see her. "Well, thank you. You're not so bad yourself." She paused and checked the clock. Had twenty minutes passed already? Casey let out an inaudible groan. "Alex, listen, I hate to cut this conversation short, but I need to get to my appointment. I'll see you at the gardens? And um...thanks again for coming."

"Anytime. Have fun," Alex answered, and within moments, the line went dead, and Casey placed her phone in her purse once more, zipped it, and turned the key in the ignition, starting the car. Casey smiled softly to herself as she pulled out of the parking lot. Somehow, she knew that everything would be fine. "I have an eight AM appointment under Novak," Casey announced, glancing at the wall clock, which read 7:55 AM. She sighed as the sign in log was shoved towards her, and she took the pen offered to her. After signing her name, she was ushered over to an empty chair next to a sink by her usual stylist, a woman five years older than herself named Emily. As Casey was asked to loosen up, she apologized softly. "I'm just very nervous," she murmured. "It's your wedding day," Emily answered as she leaned Casey back and turned the water on, testing it. Once Casey assured her that the temperature was perfect, she began lathering her hair with shampoo and spoke as she washed Casey's long red hair. "How is Olivia?" Emily asked. Casey paused to enjoy the feel of the hot water running against her scalp. It felt soothing, and quite relaxing. "Olivia's been staying in a hotel for the past couple of nights, in order to give me a traditional wedding. As much as she can, I mean," she added, knowing that Emily would catch on to what she meant. "We don't have a lot of people coming, since not a lot of people know yet. My parents won't even be there," she offered, the reality of the depressing statement crashing over her. That was one thing she was less than willing to elaborate on. Thankfully, Emily didn't ask her to. Holding a towel to Casey's head, she led her over to her station, where she retrieved the hot pink blow dryer and and plugged it in. "I would come, Case, but I have to work. I'll be at the after party tonight though, no worries." She turned Casey to the mirror, and the redhead caught her friend's wink. "I'm so happy for you," Emily continued. She began to gush about marriage and family and how much she loved weddings, but Casey's mind had already wandered. She imagined the scene that would be taking place in less than six hours: she would walk down the aisle, in front of Alex, a few old friends of Olivia's, and a score of other guests, then reach the woman she loved, say her vows at the priest's request, share a passionate kiss with Olivia, then go home and enjoy the after party. As the daydream crashed through her mind, Casey became dizzied by the speed of the details. When she pulled out of her thoughts, Emily, still babbling, had finished drying her hair and was now combing it out, preparing to curl it. Casey glanced over at the tiara at Emily's station and smiled softly, hoping it wouldn't dig into her head too much. "You're going to look so beautiful," Emily gushed, pinning a chunk of Casey's hair above her head. "I love weddings," she added, launching into yet another round of babbling. Casey sighed happily, watching her intently in the mirror. It was almost time, and the closer it got, the more nervous she became. Her hair was finished by ten, which left her thirty minutes to get to the nail salon. She made it just in time, checked in, and spent the next hour with a pedicure, a manicure, and more gushing about her wedding day. This time almost every woman in the store joined in. Casey had never been so shy in her entire life, and when it came time to go to the back and step into her dress, she felt her nerves consume her. Alison, her nail artist, doubled as an old friend from high school. They had stayed in touch for years, and their friendship had remained strong. Alison helped Casey into her dress, a Victorian style white gown with a corset style bodice, fluffy skirt, and a long train. It was, of course, fitted to accommodate her extremely swollen stomach. Adjusting the tiara and veil on Casey's head, Alison told her to sit down on the bench behind her. Casey did so, and Alison slipped the six inch pair of snow white heels onto Casey's feet, buckling them. Casey had opted for closed toed, just in case. Once she was finished dressing, Alison gave her a big hug and told her she should get going, and that she would meet her at the gardens. Casey checked the clock. Twelve thirty. By the time they arrived at the gardens, it would be a mere thirty minutes before the ceremony. Casey said goodbye to Alison and stepped out of the salon, pausing when she noticed the stretch black limo. She shook her head. Olivia truly was determined to give her the best possible wedding. As Casey approached, feeling the love for the older woman swell within her, the chauffeur, dressed in black from head to toe, opened the door in the back, silently asking her to enter. Carefully, Casey smiled softly at him, and, being extra mindful of her train, she sat down in the back of the car. The door closed, the chauffeur made his way to the front of the car, and Casey looked out the window as the limo peeled out of the parking lot. Casey looked out the window and sighed, feeling the butterflies in her stomach swarm all over again. It was her wedding day. She was being ushered to a day in Cinderella's life.


	24. Olivia's Surprise

It was a matter of seconds before the ceremony began. Casey stood behind the closed doors that separated her from the chapel, and the guests within. Her heartbeat seemed to have quadrupled its normal rate, and her stomach and her chest felt knotted. Casey sighed, looking over at Alison, who had arrived minutes before. Alison nodded encouragingly, but Casey did not have a chance to respond, because at that moment, the bridal march began. It was her cue. Alison opened the double doors and trailed a few steps behind her. Casey had chosen Alison's three year old daughter, Angie, as the flower girl. Alison walked with Angie, and Casey carefully walked down the aisle, a bouquet of crimson roses in her hands.

As she walked, keeping perfect time with the music, Casey tried to avoid looking at their guests, because she knew it would stress her out worse. Instead, she tried to focus on what waited at the end of the aisle: Olivia, who was beaming, and, beside her, the priest, also smiling. After what seemed like an eternal walk, Casey reached the detective's side, and stood in front of her. They shared a romantic gaze, locking eyes for several seconds before the priest cleared his throat, informing them that he was ready to begin.

After the priest spoke for several moments, it was time for the recitation of vows. Olivia was first. She took Casey's hands in hers and gazed into her emerald eyes. "I, Olivia Nicole Benson, take you, Casey Elizabeth Novak, to be my lawfully wedded wife, my constant friend, my faithful partner, and my love from this day forward. In the presence of God and our friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

Casey's vows were a bit different. "Olivia Nicole Benson, I love you. You are my best friend. Today I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our love is simple, and when it is an effort. I promise to cherish you, and to always hold you in highest regard. These things I give to you today, and all the days of our lives."

Once Casey finished speaking, the priest spoke a few more words, then offered the traditional "You may now kiss the bride." Olivia wrapped her arms around Casey's waist, pulled her closer, and kissed her deeply and passionately. After several moments, they slowly broke apart. Olivia reached for Casey's hand and intertwined their fingers, and led her out of the church. As they walked, Casey, following every semblance of a traditional wedding, tossed her bouquet into the crowd. She looked over just in time to notice that it had been caught by Alison. They shared a huge smile, and then, Olivia had led her completely outside.

"Olivia," Casey murmured as they paused at the bottom of the outdoor stairs. She smiled softly as Olivia kissed her again.

"Yes, Mrs. Benson?" Olivia inquired, punctuating each word with a gentle kiss.

Casey paused for a moment, allowing the meaning of the words to sink in. She was officially a Mrs., she realized. Beyond that, she could legally change her name to Benson, meaning she was finally married to the one person who truly loved her unconditionally. Casey kissed Olivia passionately and smiled. "Mrs. Benson?" she asked, letting out a soft purr. "I very much like the sound of that."

Olivia nodded, holding out her hand. "Allow me to escort my beautiful bride to our car. We have a dinner to get to, after all." She led Casey carefully off of the sidewalk and across their street. For the second time that day, their chauffeur smiled at them and opened the door. Olivia helped Casey into the backseat of the limo and then sat down beside her, closing the door herself. When the car started a few moments later, Olivia looked into Casey's eyes. "You're married to a cop now. Are you sure that is what you want?" she asked, a ghost of a smile forming upon her lips.

"A little late to talk me out of it, isn't it?" Casey asked. She smiled brightly. "I'm sure," she promised, tracing her fingertips across Olivia's shoulder. "This is everything I have ever dreamed of. And I mean...you look really hot in that suit," she murmured. Olivia had opted for a simple black suit, subtly emphasizing the fact that, for all intents and purposes, Casey was the girl in the relationship, and she was the guy.

"I know I look incredibly sexy," Olivia whispered, kissing the top of Casey's head, as best she could, with the veil in the way. The detective's self confidence sent a wave of arousal through Casey, who had resumed tracing her fingertips across the older woman's skin. It was a good thing they had privacy in the back of the limo.

"You do," Casey agreed softly. "And I love you with all my heart. Everything today has been, well, perfect. I am now officially your wife, and nothing can break us apart."

Olivia wrapped her arms around Casey and held her tightly. Casey detected a hint of possessiveness in the detective's actions. It was rather hot. "I know we can't go far for our honeymoon, but I promise I will make it up to you when you're better. For now, I have a few surprises for you tonight. But those will have to wait." She placed her hand on Casey's stomach and gazed into the younger woman's eyes. "I love you so much, Casey. As long as I am around, you will be safe, loved, and wanted. I will love you forever, no matter what."

"I love you too, Olivia," Casey whispered. She had no idea why she felt the need to be so quiet all of a sudden. All she knew was that she would give anything if it meant that the romance of this moment would never end. She laid her head on her wife's shoulder and snuggled into the older woman's arms and closed her eyes. In what seemed like no time at all, they had arrived at the restaurant. This was the beginning of the rest of their life together.

Dinner was peaceful, and full of happiness. Only Alex, Alison, and a couple of other guests had chosen to partake in the couple's bliss. After various congratulations came the gift opening. From Alex, they received spotless china, and Alison gave them a set of bath towels, washcloths, and a rug. The other guests gave the happy couple pillows, wine glasses, and various miscellaneous items. After thanking everyone, Casey and Olivia told them goodnight and stepped into the car again.

That was when the real surprise came. As the car drove down a side street on the Upper East Side, Casey paused, looking out the window. "Olivia, babe, this is the wrong way home," she murmured, turning to look at her wife. "Are you sure you gave the driver the right address?" She paused for a moment, noticing the wide grin on the older woman's face. "Olivia, what is going on?" the attorney questioned, becoming increasingly suspicious.

Olivia just shook her head, saying nothing. Finally, the car rolled to a stop in front of a beautiful brownstone flanked by leafy trees. Olivia helped Casey out of the car and removed something from her pocket, something Casey could not see. After thanking the driver and telling him she could handle it from there, Olivia watched as he sped down the street and turned left. Olivia turned to Casey and opened her hand. In her palm rested a small key. Casey's jaw dropped, and Olivia grinned. "This, my princess, is our new castle," she announced, gesturing to the brownstone behind them.

"Our new castle?" Casey repeated breathlessly. "Olivia, when did you-" She paused, unable to finish her sentence. "When did you buy this?" she asked, the shock consuming every sense in her body.

Olivia smiled brightly. "A couple of weeks ago," she admitted. It was clear that the detective was proud of herself for finding something that Casey liked as much as she did. "I wanted to show you just how much I truly love you."

Casey didn't answer. She couldn't. She was too stunned. Instead, she kissed the older woman passionately, biting her ever so gently as a way of thanking her. Catching on, Olivia wrapped her arms around Casey's waist and held her tightly, deepening the kiss. Just when Casey began to wish the kiss would never end, it did. Olivia pulled back slowly, her chocolate brown eyes full of regret. She unlocked the front door and took Casey's hand, leading her across the threshold and into their new home, and their new life.

"Oh my god," Casey gasped as she entered the kitchen. In the center of the kitchen stood an island, and on the other side of that, the wall was lined with a pantry, and a tall kitchen and freezer that stood side by side. The counters were marble, the cabinets that hung above a beautifully painted oak. Casey took in her surroundings, shaking her head as Olivia wrapped her arms around her from behind. "It's incredible," she whispered as Olivia placed a trail of butterfly kisses down her neck.

"Does my princess like her palace?" Olivia whispered, her husky voiced laced with lust.

Casey purred softly. "I love it," she murmured. "It's perfect."

From behind her, Olivia chuckled. "Well, that's a good sign, considering you have only seen the foyer and the kitchen. Come with me. I have something to show you." She took Casey's hand again and led her out of the kitchen, through the living room, and up the stairs. Once they reached for third floor, Olivia led Casey to a door at the end of the hallway, and told her to close her eyes. Casey heard the bedroom door open, before Olivia pulled her inside. Suddenly, the detective stopped walking. "I know how much you have always wanted a traditional wedding, and then a traditional wedding night. Thus, I present to you, a night in paradise. Open your eyes, baby."

Casey did as she was told. Slowly, she opened her emerald green eyes and gasped when she saw the sight before her. Rose petals lined the floor, and formed a trail from where she and Olivia stood to the bed. That was the next shock. It was a canopy bed, one that seemed to have been stolen from the antebellum period, and exactly the type that Casey had always dreamed of spending her wedding night in. Olivia loathed pink, but, as Casey next noticed, it was exactly the color the older woman had chosen for the sheets, blankets, and pillow cases. The pillow cases themselves, Casey noticed upon closer examination, were monogrammed with the intertwined initials O and C.

She turned to Olivia and smiled brightly, though she was still far too much in shock to say much of anything. "This is...wow..." she offered lamely.

"There's more," Olivia whispered in her ear, leading her to the closet. She opened it and ushered Casey inside. Casey let out a squeak of surprise. Inside the enormous walk in closet were rows and rows of heels, suits, and dresses. Olivia chuckled behind her. "If there's one thing I have learned about you over the years, it is that your personal addiction is your wardrobe. So, I went shopping and I-"

Casey prevented the detective from finishing her statement. Turning around, she wrapped her arms around Olivia's neck, kissing her passionately, her tongue engaging Olivia's in a playful battle for superiority. After several moments of the only sounds in the room being the quiet moans of both of women, Casey ever so slowly pulled back. But Olivia, letting out a low growl, refused to allow the young attorney to escape her arms completely. "Olivia, this is everything I have ever dreamed of, and so much more," she whispered, gazing into Olivia's beautiful chocolate brown eyes. "I um..I bought you some stuff, too, but I don't know if it's anywhere near as amazing as all of this..."  
>"The leather jacket, the imported wine and beer from Italy, and the six pairs of slacks?" Olivia asked. Seeing the confused look that crossed Casey's beautiful features, Olivia grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, baby. I was packing, and I found the boxes, and you know how hard it is for me to wait."<p>

Casey giggled. "It's okay, babe. I'm glad you found them, actually. Did you like them?"

"Everything," Olivia assured her, nodding. As if to emphasize her promise, Olivia grabbed Casey and pulled her in for yet another passionate kiss. "Nothing is too much for the love of my life," she whispered. "You are my wife, my princess, and my soul mate. I am the luckiest woman alive to know that yours is the face I'll be seeing first thing every morning and last thing every night. I love you more than life itself, Case. I would do anything for you."

"You are my queen, my wife, and everything I have ever wanted," Casey whispered. "We have each other now, for all eternity. Well, each other and..." Casey reached for Olivia's hand and brought it to her stomach. "And our daughter," she finished, with a soft smile.

Olivia nodded. "Now, before this gets too mushy and I end up taking you with the shoes as witness, I want you to go lay down and wait for me. I'll be there in a few minutes." The brunette kissed the back of Casey's neck and slowly unzipped her dress. Once she was finished helping Casey undress, she ordered the redhead to lay down. Casey did as she was told. Walking over to the bed, she brushed the canopy curtains aside and crawled into bed, laying on top of the sheets as she had been instructed to do. Within a matter of minutes, she would truly be Casey Elizabeth Benson.


	25. The Morning After

_Author's note: Hey everyone. I just wanted to give a heads up and say that the following chapter is the morning after their wedding. I know many of you were looking forward to a wedding night love scene, but I skipped ahead a few hours. I hope everyone can forgive me, especially since there will be a scene in, oh, eight chapters or so that will completely make it up to you. This chapter has a mini "mature" scene, but there's a big one coming, I promise. =) Thanks for reading, and please review._

Casey woke to the delicious scent of brewing coffee. As her senses began to revive, she slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to keep them open. The bedroom door opened, and Olivia entered, carrying a tray that balanced two steaming mugs of coffee and an array of breakfast foods. The detective smiled when she saw that Casey was awake, and walked over to the bed, turning the bedside light on by pulling on the chain under the lamp shade. She carefully placed the tray on the empty nightstand and leaned down, kissing Casey passionately. "Good morning, beautiful," the brunette whispered.

"Good morning, babe," Casey murmured, her voice betraying how sleepy she still was.

Olivia seemed to know this. Reaching for one of the two mugs of coffee, she handed it to Casey and smiled gently. "It has your favorite French Vanilla creamer in it, and, of course, your preferred amount of sugar." She winked, though Casey was far too sleepy to do more than smile in return.

"Yum," Casey answered, grinning as she took a tiny sip of her coffee. It was the perfect temperature, not too hot, nor too cold. And the way Olivia had prepared it made it that much more delicious. Casey took another sip as Olivia sat down on the bed. She looked over at the older woman, smiling softly as she noticed the liquid in Olivia's cup: pitch black coffee, with no sweetener. It was exactly the way the beautiful detective liked it. Casey moved closer to Olivia and laid her head on her shoulder. As she did so, the sheet around her shifted, and she became suddenly aware that she was still completely naked.

Olivia smiled, wrapping her free arm around the younger woman. "Did you sleep well?" she asked, kissing the top of Casey's head. Casey let out a little purr in response.

"I slept incredibly well," she responded, grinning. "You know, maybe we can just spend a day in bed, because truthfully, I'm not sure I can get up and walk around."

Olivia chuckled, kissing the redhead again. "Don't say I didn't warn you." Casey thought she detected a bit of smug pride in the older woman's tone. Olivia took a rather large sip of her coffee, and swallowed, then placed her cup on the tray once more. Reaching for a plate, she began piling it with food. When she handed it to Casey, the redhead immediately noticed crunchy bacon, a delicious looking cheese omelet, and pancakes smothered in peanut butter and syrup. She gave Casey a set of silverware and began preparing her own plate. As she did so, she spoke. "Last night was amazing."

Casey nodded, smiling softly. "I have never been with anyone who touches me the way you do."

Olivia turned and looked at her. "I should hope not. I mean you've only been with men before me, and I'm assuming none of them touch you the way I do."

"Well, no," Casey conceded, blushing. "But that is not what I meant. I just meant..." She trailed off, contemplating her next words. "No one, no _man_, has ever made me feel like I meant something. I mean I always felt as if sex was a bit of a chore after a period of time, and that it was all it was...sex was sex. It wasn't making love, or anything special. It was just...sex. And now that I'm with you, I know I am loved, and when I think about the things we have done and will do, the phrase making love pops into my mind. I guess what I am trying to say is, with you...we make love..and that is so much more than simply having sex." She picked up her knife in her right hand and her fork in her left, and cut a tiny piece off of her omelet.

Olivia nodded as Casey finished speaking. "I know what you mean," she answered. "I've had my share of casual sex, one night stands, and meaningless bedroom partners. Marriage was something I was too afraid to even contemplate, so I never proposed to anyone...then you came along, and I realized that what I have always wanted has been there in front of me all along, and I just didn't realize it. That is why I asked you to marry me, Case. Because you complete me in ways no one ever has, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you and our daughter."

"I love you," Casey murmured, lifting her head to gaze into the older woman's chocolate brown eyes. Her love for the detective consumed her, and her heartbeat increased, to a speed that made her wonder if it was trying to escape her chest.

Olivia kissed her forehead and smiled. "I love you so much, baby." She gestured to Casey's plate, which was still full, minus the tiny nibble the attorney had inflicted on her omelet. "We have all the time in the world." The brunette reached for a piece of bacon and broke it in half, popping it into her mouth. As she chewed, she talked. "I do love your suggestion to stay in bed all day, but I have to run a few errands. You, on the other hand, are going to stay right here and relax. I should only be gone for a few hours, and when I get home tonight, we can create another amazing night."

"I like the sound of that," Casey replied, letting out a quiet purr. She loved the way Olivia made her feel, inside and out. It was as if everything she had ever wanted had manifested itself into the beautiful older woman, and Casey felt incredibly proud to be her wife. "Are you going to do what you did right before we went to bed?" she asked, arching her eyebrow seductively.

Olivia chuckled. "You really liked that, didn't you?" she questioned, looking over at Casey, who nodded, purring again. Olivia shook her head and kissed the redhead passionately. "If you're a good girl and do as I say all day long, then tonight, I promise that I will break out the toys like I did last night. But you have to earn it."

Casey pouted. "How can I be good?" she asked. "I don't even think I know how," she complained.

"You'll think of something," Olivia answered, kissing her again. "Now come here." Casey did as she was told, wondering what the detective had planned. The unasked question was quickly answered when Olivia moved the plates and pulled Casey into her arms, kissing her passionately. Her hands wandered across the younger woman's body, and she bit down ever so gently on Casey's tongue.

Casey moaned softly, as her own teeth grazed Olivia's bottom lip. She reached for the older woman's dark brown hair and tugged firmly on a handful of it. Her nipples hardened painfully, and it was impossible to hide it. Casey silently cursed the fact that she had slept naked.

Olivia let out a low growl, and placed her right hand on Casey's right breast, kneading it with the perfect amount of strength. As Casey whimpered, immediately biting her again, Olivia continued her assault on the redhead's body and murmured "Does that feel good?" in Casey's ear.

"Olivia," Casey moaned, throwing her head back as Olivia moved her mouth lower and took Casey's nipple, holding it between her teeth as she suckled it. Casey reached for her wife's hair again and tugged on it, harder this time. There was no denying how easily the brunette had sparked a wave of arousal within her.

"Yes?" Olivia whispered, barely moving her mouth from the redhead's breast. It was clear that she was enjoying the torture she was inflicting upon the beautiful attorney.

Casey whimpered as Olivia bit into her nipple before switching targets and launching an assault on her left breast. She felt her arousal curl within her, as every flick of Olivia's tongue caused her to climb closer and closer to the edge. She knew she wouldn't last much longer if this continued.

Olivia pushed Casey onto her back and pinned her gently against the bed, pushing her legs apart with a throaty growl. She positioned herself at the foot of the bed and, locking eyes with Casey, began to suck gently on the redhead's clit. As Casey moaned in pleasure, arching her body off of the bed, Olivia inserted three fingers inside of her, while her tongue began to alternate between licking, sucking, and biting the young attorney's swollen clitoris.

Casey squirmed beneath her, digging her nails first into the sheets, then Olivia herself. Her body arched high off of the bed, and her orgasm was rapidly approaching. Then, just before Casey thought she was about to reach her peak, Olivia stopped, and made her way back to the attorney's lips, kissing her passionately. The redhead pouted, gazing into her eyes. Silently, she questioned the older woman's sudden halt. "Babe," she murmured.

"I love you," Olivia answered, kissing her once more. The brunette laid on her back, smirking as she stared up at the ceiling. "I'll continue later, baby, I promise. Remember the deal: you have to be a good little girl all day long, and then, only then, will I continue this."

Casey rolled her emerald eyes. "Fine," she muttered, snuggling closer to the detective. "I love you," she added quietly. "You are my queen."

"I love you, Princess," Olivia responded, kissing the top of Casey's head. She looked over at the alarm clock, noting the time, then turned her attention back to the beautiful redhead at her side, who was pouting playfully. "I have an appointment to go pick something up. I need to be there in about an hour, meaning I need to leave in a couple of minutes. Do you need anything?"

"You," Casey tried hopefully, though she knew it wouldn't work.

Olivia smiled. "You will have me tonight. All of me," the detective added with a seductive wink. She leaned over and kissed Casey passionately. "I will be back soon, then I'll punish you as much as you want. Just remember: no good behavior, no punishment."

"Yes, Olivia," Casey answered, smirking. She settled back against the pillows and pulled the covers around her naked body. "I'll see you tonight," she added, smiling as they shared yet another kiss. The lust between them was almost tangible.

"I love you," both women said at the same time. And, after another quick goodbye, Olivia was gone.

Suddenly, Casey's growling stomach reminded her of how hungry she was. She reached for her plate and silverware, relaxed on the bed, and began to eat, being extra careful not to drop anything. She was extremely anal about having everything spotless, especially since they had only lived in the place for one point five days. As Casey ate, one thought circled her mind, as if on a constant loop: she couldn't wait to be punished.

_Author's note: Please review. The next several chapters, just a warning, will be a bit depressing. No, Olivia's not a cheater here...you'll see. I just wanted to give a heads up. In the meantime, PLEASE REVIEW. Thanks for reading._


	26. The New Benson

_Author's note: Hey everyone. This scene is a bit...odd. It is the labor scene, but there are some things I left out on purpose. I described her pain, her contractions, etc, but I omitted her water breaking, her pushing, and so forth. Just know they are there, just implied, rather than explicit. Please review._

Casey had fallen into a light sleep, the excitement of the previous night giving way to exhaustion. Late in the afternoon, however, she was awoken by severe stomach pains. It felt as if she was experiencing cramps, only a thousand times worse. Figuring it was a normal pregnancy side effect, as she often experienced slight pain, the redhead rolled onto her side and attempted to fall back asleep. But twenty minutes later, the pain was still nearly unbearable. Then it hit her: after reading countless articles and even books about pregnancy and childbirth, Casey realized it was a sign of the first stage of labor.

Reaching for the home phone, Casey grabbed it, removing it from its receiver. Quickly, she dialed Olivia's cell phone number, and sighed as it rang several times. Just when Casey began to panic, thinking it was going to go to voicemail, Olivia picked up. "Casey Elizabeth Benson, didn't I tell you to get some rest?" the detective asked, though her voice was laced with playful overtones.

"I know," Casey murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I um...I think...I'm in labor." The reality of that simple statement crashed over the attorney, sending a wave of stress through her. She had never been pregnant before, and she had no idea what to do.

"What?" Olivia's voice betrayed her concern over what Casey had just told her. "Casey, honey, I'm all the way on the other side of Manhattan. I need to get you to the hospital, but I obviously cannot drive you there." The brunette sighed deeply. Casey wondered what she was thinking. "Listen, I'm going to have Fin swing by and take you to the hospital. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Casey was so stressed that, between every worry that flitted across her mind, the one that did not was the question of how they were supposed to cover their marriage when Fin realized they lived together. "Okay," she agreed weakly. The stomach pains seemed to be worsening. Casey wondered if it was a psychological issue or a physiological truth. "Hurry, babe," she pleaded quietly.

"I will," Olivia promised. "I love you, baby. I want you to take it easy. I'll see you soon."

Casey nodded, before realizing Olivia could not see her through the phone. Sighing, she answered "I love you so much." Then, she hung up, placing the phone in its cradle once more. As she waited for Olivia to call Fin and for the latter to arrive, Casey curled up on her side once more, holding her stomach. She hoped desperately that her daughter would be healthy, and that, above all, she would be a good mother.

Thirty minutes later, Fin had pulled into the hospital parking lot and taken Casey to her doctor, who was, thankfully, available. He had driven a squad car, flashing lights and all, which had sped the journey considerably. Once Casey was situated in a room in the maternity ward, she told the doctor that she wanted to wait for Olivia before anything was done. She was grateful that, thirty five minutes later, her wife entered the room, carrying a bouquet of red roses. Placing them on the nightstand beside Casey's bed, the detective pulled a chair over and sat down next to her. Taking Casey's hand and intertwining their fingers, Olivia used her free hand to stroke the redhead's silky curls. "How are you feeling, sweetie?" she asked.

"Horrible," Casey answered. "Why does having a baby have to be so painful? I feel like I am experiencing cramps to thousandth degree, and my back is killing me." She sighed, and squeezed Olivia's hand. "What if I'm not ready for this? What if I blow it and something goes horribly wrong and I lose our baby?"

Olivia continued to stroke her hair, gently and lovingly. "Honey, you can't mess this up. Just do what the doctor says, and the baby will be fine. You will be fine. Everything will be fine, I promise. I have complete faith in you, and I know that you can do this." She leaned over and gently kissed Casey's forehead, pulling back when the attorney let out a little whimper of pain.

The head nurse chose that moment to enter. As she finished reading the file in her hand, she placed it on a table near the door and walked over to Casey. With a soft smile, she introduced herself as Aimee. After a brief conversation with both Casey and Olivia, she began to take Casey's vitals. Next, the doctor entered the room and checked to see how dilated the young attorney was. Once that was finished, Aimee smiled at Casey and said "This is the time when we tell the mother that we want her to take a little walk around the hospital." Seeing the strange look Casey gave her, she launched into an explanation. "It's just a short walk. We recommend anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes. It helps you dilate. We need you fully dilated before we can begin the delivery process."

The doctor jumped in. "If you need to stop, call for Aimee or another nurse, and we'll help you back. Before this is done, however, I would like to take a moment to discuss some popular ways to ease the pain of labor. The most common is the Lamaze method. Are you familiar with it?"

Casey nodded. "Isn't the goal for the woman to regulate her breathing in order to distract herself from the pain of childbirth?"

"That is the general idea, yes," the doctor replied. "Is this something you have prepared for?"

"Not really," Casey admitted quietly. She loved Dr. Seley, but she could do without being made to feel rather stupid whenever she visited him.

It was the doctor's turn to nod. He shifted and looked from Casey to Olivia and back again. The awkwardness of his gaze was nearly tangible. "Now, another common way to ease the pain is allowing your partner to..." It was clear that he was far from comfortable with his next statement. "Allowing your partner to bring you to orgasm," he finished. "Please be aware that this method also acts as an inducer to labor, due to the increased flow of blood."

Casey shared a quick look with Olivia. They silently agreed that neither option sounded appealing. She didn't have time to study breathing regulation, and hell would have to freeze over before she had an orgasm in front of a bunch of strangers, especially since her doctor was a man. She was lucky if she could have sex with the lights on, most of the time. "Um." Casey bit her lip in an effort to somehow ease the pain in her lower body. "I think we'll just...do this as naturally as possible, Dr. Seley." She sat up slowly, wincing, her grip on Olivia's hand tightening. "You want me to walk around the hospital for a minimum of fifteen minutes?" she clarified.

"If at all possible, try to aim for thirty. You are only at three centimeters, and you need to be at ten. You have a long way to go," the doctor answered.

"Thank you," Casey murmured absentmindedly. She held tightly onto Olivia's hand, stumbling a few times, but, with the detective's help, she made it out of the room and a few steps down the hall.

After they had circled the maternity ward twice, which took twenty minutes, Casey stopped walking, and braced herself against the nearest wall as she doubled over in pain. Olivia caught her, preventing her from falling, and the brunette called for a nurse. It was time for Casey to have their baby.

The labor took a total of five hours. Dr. Seley explained to Casey and Olivia that, while it was considered quick, all women were different, and that there was nothing to worry about. He then congratulated them and left, promising that he would be back shortly to collect information for the birth certificate, and to check on mother and child both. That left Casey and Olivia alone with a sudden roomful of people, all coworkers: Cragen, who brought a giant teddy bear; Alex, who brought a blanket and pillow set for the crib; Fin, who brought a breast pump, explaining that he thought it would be helpful; Branch, who brought an enormous selection of baby food; and Nick and Amanda, who had each brought onesies for the baby. Everyone gathered around the bed, giving their gifts and offering congratulations to Casey.

Casey thanked everyone and took a deep breath, laying back against the pillows. She was exhausted, and wondered if it was truly possible to sleep for a hundred years. She looked at Olivia, locking eyes with her. It was a silent way of asking where they would go from here, and Olivia nodded. She took Casey's hand, and, as the room fell silent and everyone stared at the couple in shock, the detective broke the news. "Casey and myself have been together for several months. It has been low key and no one in our work lives knew until now, except Alex. We are, in addition, married." Olivia looked at Casey and smiled softly, and continued her explanation. "There is a generally accepted rule in place that a detective cannot date an attorney in her unit. Given this fact, and our breaking of this rule, I confess that, should it come down to it, I am willing to retire as a detective, if it means being with her."

The room was full of silence. It was Cragen who first spoke. "Under normal circumstances, this would be a concern for myself, and Arthur as well. The reason the rule is in place is to avoid a conflict of interest, which is to say, to keep professional and private lives separate. If a detective dated the unit's attorney and something happened between them, it could easily affect the objectivity of decisions made in various cases, which could in turn destroy the whole unit's integrity."

"However," Branch jumped in, "Casey, you have proven yourself to be a very talented attorney over the years. I am, of course, the one who placed you in sex crimes in the first place. There have been times that have almost destroyed many of our careers in a single blow, not the least of which was Chester Lake's shooting of Edward Kralik in 2008. With his arrest came a loss of one of our best prosecutors for three entire years." Branch sighed, and continued. "I do not, however, believe these incidents to be connected to so called forbidden relationships, and, if you two have been together for months, I must admit that I have seen no change in your work ethic, Casey."

"Olivia has been as tough as she always has been, and her work speaks for itself," Cragen added. "Which means that, since you two have continued to prove that your relationship—your marriage—does not interfere with your jobs, then you deserve the right to be happy together. So, on that note, congratulations on your marriage, and congratulations on your new life as parents. Your daughter is very beautiful. What is her name?"

Casey smiled. "Her name is Samantha Jane Novak-Benson." She looked over at her boss and grinned. "It's something you can spell," she promised. Branch just smiled in respone.

As if on cue, the nurse entered at that moment, carrying the baby in her arms. She had been washed and dressed in an adorable pink onesie, with a matching hat to keep her head warm. She smiled as she handed the baby to Casey. The happiness in the room was nearly tangible, but as Casey held her daughter in her arms, she couldn't help but feel as if something was terribly wrong with her.


	27. One Happy Family

Casey held her daughter in her arms and looked down at her, smiling softly. Samantha's check up had been flawless, revealing nothing, not even a cough. What had perturbed Casey mere moments ago was the fact that Samantha had inherited her father's smile. It was a smile that Casey had seen too much over the last year or so, and one she had come to fear. Gently, the redhead rocked her daughter, and looked up as Olivia entered carrying their lunch. "Hey," Casey murmured.

"Hey," Olivia said back, kissing first Casey, then Samantha. She placed Casey's lunch on the table next to her, and sat down beside the bed. Opening what Casey noticed to be a sandwich, Olivia spoke again. "What did I do to get so lucky? I have a beautiful wife, and now, a beautiful daughter. You two are the best family anyone could ask for." The detective bit into her sandwich, and Casey giggled at the size of the bite.

Casey reached for the soda Olivia had brought her and took a small sip from the straw. Placing it on the table once more, she sighed happily. "Dr. Pepper. My favorite," she murmured. The comment elicited a large smile from Olivia, which Casey caught out of the corner of her eye. "I always dreamed of being married and having a family. But I have to be completely honest here, and admit that I never expected that I would be married to a woman, much less..you. I mean, damn, Olivia. I feel like I'm hallucinating, and if that's the case, I hope this dream never ends."

"I love you, Casey," Olivia replied, leaning over and kissing Casey's forehead. She brushed her fingertips across Samantha's ghostly pale skin, which she had clearly inherited from Casey, and sighed. "I knew soon after I met you that I was in trouble. I would go home at night and lay alone in bed, wishing that a certain redhead was at my side. But I figured I was insane. You were, after all, into men, plain and simple. I confess that every time you told me about your newest boyfriend, I had to bite my tongue and restrain my jealousy. And that worried me because..." Olivia trailed off, and a misty look clouded the brunette's chocolate brown eyes. "Because I was used to casual sex and one night stands," she admitted. "What business did I have wanting a relationship with our ADA, who, on top of being straight, could never possibly love someone like me?"

Olivia's candidacy caught Casey off guard. There were few times when the older woman truly opened up as she was right now. She had a way of seeming to be a rock, unable to be broken, strong enough to handle anything. To hear her reveal so much about her feelings, Casey found herself unsure of what to say. All she knew was that she loved Olivia with everything she had, and she would do anything if it meant reassuring the older woman and demonstrating just how much she felt for her. "Olivia," Casey murmured, gently shifting Samantha's weight in her arms. Samantha let out a little coo. "I never thought I was a lesbian. Since high school, I have been with men. I mean, I lost my virginity on my sixteenth birthday to a college man. But I always felt a little odd in those relationships, as if I was doing something, or pretending to be someone, that I shouldn't be. I guess part of me felt as if I was trying to fool myself about something, but I hadn't the slightest idea of what."

"And then when I was assigned to the Special Victims Unit, it took only a few months for me to realize a terrifying fact: I felt something for SVU's only female detective. I couldn't describe it. I knew it was more than friendship that I wanted, but I was too afraid to even think the word love, because how could I love a woman? I was straight...or so I thought."

Casey paused for a few moments, allowing the memories of the first few months she had spent with the squad to flood her mind. As this happened, she continued. "I thought you hated me at first. But I couldn't understand what I did to you. Then came the trial of Liam Connors one year later. That was the spark that revealed an epiphany for me: how could you love me, or even like me, when you had _her_? Alexandra Cabot, who I had always considered my biggest threat, had returned, and seeing the way you looked at her, I just knew. You two were in love. And that made everything worse, because on top of worrying about you hating me as an ADA and comparing me to her professionally, I now had to realize that you could never want me over her. And then came that fateful night that you kissed me at that party. That was the happiest moment of my life, Olivia, except for the kiss that cemented our marriage." Casey reached over and took Olivia's hand, intertwining their fingers. "I love you," she whispered, gazing into Olivia's eyes. "I am sitting here as your lawfully wedded wife, and I have to tell you, I've never been happier in my life."

Olivia smiled softly, lifting Casey's chin and kissing her gently on the lips. "Casey," she responded, brushing away a tear that threatened to escape the redhead's emerald eyes. "I can't believe how long it took me to realize that what I have always wanted has been right in front of me for years, and I've just been too damn stubborn to realize it." She looked at the clock and sighed softly. The others would be arriving soon, for another visit. "I have a confession to make, and I think it's fitting, given this conversation. You are, however, welcome to think it is random." Seeing the curious look that Casey gave her, eyebrows arched, Olivia sighed. "You mentioned how you felt when Alex returned during the trial of Liam Connors. I uh...well she and I ended up in bed over the course of the trial..." Seeing Casey's gaze immediately fall to the floor, Olivia quickly reassured her. "But Casey, honey, it was you I wished I was with that night. Even while I laid next to her."

"What?" Casey asked, shock consuming her senses. She struggled to grasp the concept of her wife's confession. It seemed surreal, as if she had imagined it. But one glance at the shy look on the detective's face convinced her that this was reality, an incredible reality. "Olivia, that means more to me than I can possibly put into words, babe. It makes me feel...well, I cannot even think of a word that accurately describes how it makes me feel." Making sure Samantha was safe in her arms, Casey moved closer to Olivia and kissed her passionately, slipping her tongue into the older woman's mouth. Hearing the soft groan the detective let out, Casey purred and pulled back slowly. "I love you."

"I love you too," Olivia whispered breathlessly. She looked up just as the door opened, and the swarm of congratulatory coworkers entered, with Alex in the lead, followed by Fin, Amaro, Rollins, and Munch, with Cragen bringing up the rear.

Alex entered the room and smiled when she noticed Casey and Olivia sitting side by side, with Samantha resting in Casey's arms. "You two are such an adorable couple...and Samantha here is the cutest little thing ever," she cooed, walking over to the pink bundle in Casey's arms.

Once everyone else had entered and seated themselves around the bed, Casey smiled softly at their friends. "Thanks for coming, everyone. We are very grateful to have such amazing friends as all of you, and the fact that you are coworkers is a bonus."

Fin spoke up, smiling from his seat directly across from Olivia, with the bed separating them. "I am so happy for you two," he announced. "Congratulations on your marriage and on the birth of your daughter. She is beautiful, like both of her mothers."

It was Nick's turn next. Sitting next to Amanda in the corner of the room, he qualified the statements that had been made before him. "I think I speak for everyone here when I say that it is amazing that you two are married, and that you have a baby. I have not been with the Special Victims Unit long, but I have seen the chemistry between you two, and the way you interact. I am extremely happy for the both of you. And congratulations on your beautiful little girl." As he finished speaking, Branch entered the room. He was the last of their expected visitors. As he and Cragen had already spoken the night before, they only said a couple of things, and then, after everyone fawned over Samantha some more, Casey and Olivia were left alone again.

Casey propped herself up against her pillows and rocked Samantha gently, holding her securely in her arms. Olivia smiled and scooted closer, and began to stroke the redhead's hair. "Casey, I am so proud of you, honey. I love you with everything I have. For as long as I live, I will never let anyone or anything take you or Samantha away from me." As she spoke, the brunette kissed Casey on the forehead and smiled brightly. "You are my princess," she added.

"And you are my queen," Casey replied, kissing the older woman passionately. And as emerald eyes locked with chocolate brown, the two women reveled in their incredible marriage and the birth of their child. And Casey knew, in that moment, that she would finally be okay.


	28. Hush, Little Baby

Casey tested the temperature of the water for the tenth time that minute. Satisfied, again, that it was not too hot, she carefully maneuvered the removable sink sprayer over to the right side of the sink. Being especially careful, she began to give her daughter a bath. At first Samantha began to cry, but, after a few moments, she slowly calmed down. Casey hummed soothingly to her, keeping the beat of "Hush Little Baby" in her mind. She had been home for just under twenty four hours, after five days in the hospital. The doctor had wanted to make triple sure that both mother and child were well enough to be released, and he was finally convinced, after almost a week of check ups.

Since she had been home, Casey had only gotten about two hours of deep sleep. The rest of her time was divided between taking care of Samantha and attempting to take tiny catnaps. Olivia repeatedly offered to take their daughter elsewhere for a few hours so Casey could sleep, but Casey had turned the offer down each time, sweet as it was. She knew it just took some getting used to, being a mother.

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word," Casey sang softly as she reached for the baby shampoo. "Momma's gonna buy you a mocking bird. And if that mocking bird don't sing, momma's gonna buy you a diamond ring..." The young attorney continued to sing, and when she finished washing Samantha, she looked up as she placed the shampoo back in its spot. Olivia was standing in the doorway, watching them, a grin upon the detective's face. Casey blushed. "I'm giving her a bath," she offered lamely, hoping her wife hadn't just heard her singing. But the look on the brunette's face said she had. Casey wondered if it was possible to die from embarrassment.

"I see that," Olivia replied, walking over to them. She kissed Casey gently and frowned. "You never told me you sang."

Casey shrugged. "I don't, usually. I mean, not with people around...or at all..." she offered. She paused, noticing the knitted eyebrows Olivia was wearing, a sign of confusion. "Olivia, I'm terrible, and therefore, I'm embarrassed to sing with anyone around."

"Honey, you're amazing," Olivia assured her. "I may not have heard all of the song, but I heard enough to know that my wife is an incredible attorney, a fantastic cook, a perfect mother, and now, a truly amazing singer." She kissed the back of Casey's neck and smiled. "I love learning new things about you," she added. "And I want to hear more singing, but for right now, I want you to sit down and relax while I finish Samantha's bath. And then I will bring her to you."

"Olivia-" Casey protested. Olivia, however, held up her hand, signaling the end of the discussion. Pouting, the redhead stepped aside, transferring the sink hose from herself to the older woman, carefully, so as not to make a mess. Casey smiled softly, pausing for a moment to take in the sight She had to admit, watching Olivia with their daughter was a fascinating vision. Casey knew the older woman was great with kids, and now that they had one of their own, Casey still felt as if she was dreaming. Leaning against the island counter behind her, the attorney exhaled slowly. "I um..." As she tried to speak, an enormous yawn crept up on her, escaping her before she even knew what hit her. "I am amazed at the many sides of Olivia Benson," she admitted, smiling.

Olivia rinsed Samantha's body and then turned the water off, wrapping the tiny infant in a towel and positioning her securely in her arms before turning around. "The many sides of Olivia Benson?" she repeated, sounding amused. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean just that," Casey answered. "There is tough cop Olivia, who men want to have their way with, or simply hate for intimidating them. Then there is compassionate Olivia, who victims, children, and women instantly bond with. There is the lover Olivia, who is as much a tiger in bed as she is on the street. Luckily, unlike tigers, she's monogamous. And then there is family Olivia, who is an incredible wife and a great mother."

Olivia smiled. "Which side of Olivia is your favorite?" the brunette inquired, carefully handing Samantha over to Casey.

Casey held her daughter in her arms, smiling. "I love all of your sides, Olivia. They all combine to make you who you are, and I love you for who you are. You're my everything, and I wouldn't trade what we have for anything in the world. I would rather die than lose you."

"Well if you die on me, I'll kill you," Olivia answered, with a tiny grin. "You will never lose me. I am here for you and our daughter until the end of eternity. I would do anything if it meant protecting you two, because if I lost my family, I wouldn't have anything that mattered anymore."

Casey's emerald gaze dropped to the floor, the silence in the room looming with a tangible sentimentality. The only sound for several moments was the ticking of the clock on the wall. Then, abruptly, Samantha resumed crying, shattering the peace, and forcing her parents to snap out of their individual thought processes. "Samantha, sweetie, it's okay," Casey purred, rocking her gently, attempting to soothe her, and calm her. She checked the clock. "I think someone's hungry," she murmured. Just as she was about to walk over to the table and sit down in a chair, Olivia brought a chair over. Casey smiled softly. "Thanks, babe," she whispered, sitting down slowly. Reaching up to the counter, she reached for the blanket she had left there mere hours ago, and began to nurse the wailing infant in her arms.  
>When that was finished, Casey carried Samantha upstairs and into the master bedroom. Entering the huge walk in closet where Olivia had built the nursery, the redhead laid her daughter in her crib. It was only a matter of minutes before Samantha, full and content, fell fast asleep. Casey continued to hum lullabies to her for several minutes, until she was sure the baby was out. Then, she stood up and turned the closet light off, entering the bedroom once more. Laying on the bed, the redhead sighed, closing her eyes. "My boobs are killing me," she complained quietly.<p>

Olivia chuckled and laid down next to her. Keeping her eyes closed, Casey felt the bed move as the detective joined her. Olivia brushed her fingers through the redhead's long curls and smiled. "Go to sleep, baby. I'll take care of her if she wakes up. You need rest, sweetheart."

Casey shook her head. "I'm not sleepy," she attempted to protest, though, as she spoke, yet another yawn escaped her, betraying her unsuccessful lie.

"Lay down," Olivia ordered, kissing her on the forehead. "I'll wake you up in a few hours if you want. But right now, you need to sleep, or at least rest peacefully."

It didn't take much more convincing than that. Despite her pleas with Olivia on the contrary, Casey found that she was exhausted, to the point of being dead on her feet. Mere minutes after Olivia kissed her and told her to go to sleep, the beautiful attorney had fallen back against the pillows, closed her eyes, and slipped into the world of unconsciousness.

Casey didn't know how long she had been asleep for when she heard the sound of loud crying. She had only been a mother for a few days, but she knew her baby's cry, and so, upon hearing it, Casey's emerald eyes flew open. Looking around the bedroom, she noticed that Olivia wasn't in the room. "Olivia?" she called out quietly, wondering why a strange sense of apprehension had consumed her. It was a feeling she always had before something went drastically wrong. Maybe she was just being paranoid, she reasoned with herself. Charlie was dead. Chance was dead. Their bosses had accepted their marriage, their coworkers supported them. So why was she feeling so worried all of a sudden? "Babe?" she called, wondering if Olivia had heard her the first time.  
>"I'm in the bathroom, Casey," Olivia called back.<p>

"I'll get Samantha," Casey responded. Walking into the nursery, she turned the light on and headed over to Samantha's crib. The baby lay there, crying a cry that Casey recognized as her call for attention. Cooing to her, Casey lifted her and sat down on the rocker beside the crib, holding her daughter in her arms. "Everything's going to be okay," she murmured, more to herself than Samantha. Now if only she could get herself to believe that. If only she knew in that moment that something in her life was about to go horribly wrong.

_Author's note: What did you all think? Please, please review. As an author, reviews are my bread and butter. After all, without reviews, how does one know how the story is perceived? I would love to know what everyone thinks at this point. Does anyone have any predictions about what is going to happen?_


	29. Meet the Novaks

Casey laid in bed, propped up against a stack of her favorite pillows. Her hands were folded across her stomach, and her eyes were closed as she thought about what she was about to do. She had talked to Olivia mere moments ago, and suggested they go to her parents' and tell them about their marriage. Casey had confessed that she felt strange hiding the fact that she was married from her own parents. It sounded simple, telling them. If only that was how things really were.

The Novaks were a family with more money and power than most people dreamed about. Casey had grown up accustomed to being under constant criticism from her parents. They had always wanted to know why she hung out with certain people, and had insisted on knowing where she was at every minute of every day. Now things were about to become extremely tangled, a fact that Casey had already prepared herself for. She certainly could not say "Mom, Dad, I know you haven't seen me in a while, and here's why: I'm gay, and oh yeah, I'm married with a child who just happens to have been fathered by my ex boyfriend." The attorney shuddered at the thought of that conversation. Her tightly wound mother would probably have an aneurism. And her father, well...that was a nightmare she did not want to face. Being blunt about things was definitely not an option.

"Case?" As Casey pulled out of her thoughts, she noticed Olivia standing in front of her. The detective wore a pair of black dress slacks, matching boots, and a dark blue top. Casey could see that she was trying to impress her parents, and her heart warmed at the thought. "Hey, sweetie. Are you ready?"

Casey looked down at her own choice of clothing. She had paired a simple black dress with matching heels. Her long red curls were bouncy and voluminous. Most people would have considered it odd that they were so dressed up just for a night with the family, but in Casey's family, appearances were everything. Remembering Olivia's question, the redhead nodded, and stood up from the bed slowly. She retrieved her purse and the diaper bag from the other side of the bed, where she had placed them after packing them. Slinging both over her shoulder, she entered the nursery and gently lifted her sleeping daughter out of her crib. "Is the car seat hooked up?"

"Yes," Olivia answered, smiling as Casey turned around to face her. "Everything is ready, Casey. Please stop stressing so much. I'm here for you, and you know that."

"I know," Casey murmured apologetically. "I'm ready," she added, shifting Samantha in her arms. The baby let out a sleepy yawn. Casey smiled softly. "Here we go."  
>An hour later, Olivia pulled into the driveway in front of Casey's parents' enormous home, which could easily have been classified under the mansion category. Casey sighed, looking out the window at the perfectly manicured hedges, and the picture perfect lawn. Feeling Olivia take her hand, she knew the brunette was trying to reassure her, and it helped...somewhat. Silently, the two women shared a quick kiss before stepping out of the car. Casey opened the back door and took Samantha out of her car seat. She was still asleep. Closing the car door, Casey walked to Olivia's side, and together, they ascended the steps in front of the enormous home in front of them. Taking a deep breath, Casey reached for the brass knocker and tapped it against the door. She had a key, but she was far from willing to risk using it.<p>

Within moments, the front door opened, revealing Anita, the family's housekeeper. Casey bit her lip hard as Anita pounced on her, hugging her and remarking that she hadn't seen her in over a year and so on and so forth. Casey was used to the unnecessary fussing, as she had grown up with Anita. "Anita," she began, attempting to keep her voice even through her nerves. "Are Mom and Dad home?"

Anita nodded, stepping aside to allow her to enter. She stared first at the baby, then Olivia. "You brought a friend, Casey. She's much too thin. You need food," she added, looking directly at Olivia. "And when did you have a baby? Is this what you've been up to? Where's the daddy?"

Casey and Olivia shared a quick glance when Anita's back was turned. "Um." Casey swallowed hard. "Anita, it's sort of complicated. I wanted to tell everyone at the same time, over dinner."

"Okay, well, I'll tell Jessica to cook for six." Jessica was the family's cook. Anita looked at Casey. "Your father is in his study and your mother is in the living room debating between paint samples. I'll go talk to Jessica. You go see your mother."

Casey nodded, too nervous to put up much of a discussion. As Anita bustled away, heading toward the kitchen, Casey led Olivia to two enormous oak doors at the opposite end of the foyer. This was the living room. Pushing the doors open, Casey entered, and immediately noticed her mother sitting on one of the leather sofas, her legs crossed demurely as she studied paint samples laid neatly on the coffee table. "Mom?" Casey asked tentatively.

Deanna Novak looked up, her mouth a straight line that curled into the tiniest smile when she saw that it was her daughter. With red hair, creamy skin, and dark green eyes, it was obvious that she was Casey's mother. "Casey!" she exclaimed. "You go a year without calling, and then out of the blue, you appear." Deanna's gaze fell upon Olivia. "And who is this?" she inquired.

"Mom, this is Olivia Benson. Olivia, this is my mother, Deanna Novak."

Olivia extended her hand in a show of friendship. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Novak. You have a lovely daughter. I've heard great things about you. Casey speaks very highly of you."

"I'm sure she has," Deanna replied, shaking Olivia's hand and gesturing to the pitcher of tea on the coffee table. "Jessica has made fresh tea. There are lemons and extra sugar. Help yourself." She looked at Casey. "You look like hell, Casey. What have you been up to? Where is Chance?"

Casey felt her mouth suddenly go dry. Her knees felt weak and the room seemed to spin before her. It was a sign that she was about to pass out. Olivia, however, reached out and stabilized her. Casey felt her bottom lip tremble, and knew she was about to cry. "Chance is gone," she admitted.

"Gone?" Deanna repeated, the disapproval in her voice nearly tangible. "Am I to assume he left because of her?" she demanded, gesturing to Samantha. "What did you do to that nice man, Casey?"

Casey shifted her daughter in her arms. "Mom, please," she began. She had fought back her tears but she knew that they could fall at any moment. She had forgotten that her parents didn't know what had happened with Chance. "I need to talk to you," she blurted. "You and Dad."

"About what?" demanded a voice that hadn't previously spoken. Casey looked behind her. Her father had entered the room. He walked over to the couch and sat down beside his wife. "Anita said you wanted to speak over dinner, but I want you to start talking right now. I, like your mother, am wondering why you are here, with a child in your arms and no husband. Where is he?"

"He's dead," Casey blurted, the frustration with her parents consuming her. She wished desperately that they could understand. As their jaws parted in shock, and Deanna let out an indignant squeak, Casey sighed and launched into the explanation. "You two think he was an amazing guy. He was good looking, and when he was around other people, he treated me like a princess. He fooled you into thinking your daughter had found the perfect man. But when we got home every night, he beat me and raped me, and it was hell. And you know what? Olivia caught him, once. That's how he ended up in prison in the first place. But he got out! And it started all over again. Sure, eventually, he went back, but the damage was done. I was pregnant, my boyfriend was in jail for getting me pregnant, and I was alone. Olivia saved me. She's the one who got him locked up both times. She's the one who comforted me when I got the call that said that he had been raped and murdered in his cell. She's the one who stayed with me through the entire ordeal, and understood, and listened. She's the one who held me when I cried, when I woke up with nightmares so vivid that I was convinced they were real. If it weren't for Olivia, you would be visiting my grave site right now." Casey looked away, too afraid to look at her parents' faces. She could only imagine the horror etched into their skin.

Taking a deep breath, the attorney exhaled slowly and continued. "Olivia saved my life. We ended up together, and for the first time in I don't know how long, I felt happy, loved, and safe. With Chance, those words weren't even in my vocabulary. And when Olivia proposed...I said yes. And now I'm her wife, and Samantha is our daughter. And I came here hoping my parents loved me enough to be supportive, but the more I talk, the more I realize that it was foolish on my part." For the first time since she began explaining, she looked at her parents, who were staring blankly at something on the far wall. Something imaginary, Casey knew.

Deanna sucked in a breath of air, and finally looked at her daughter. Casey felt like an insect specimen in a jar. "Casey, honey, we understand that Chance hurt you, but there is always another choice. You certainly did not have to choose to be a...lesbian." She whispered the last word, as if just saying it meant she would be subject to eternal damnation.

"There's a really good looking boy at the country club. His name is Andrew. He is forty two and he is looking for a wife. I'm sure you would like him," her father countered.

That was too much. It was the last straw. Casey let out the pent up scream that had been building ever since she arrived, and stood up quickly, though carefully, so she wouldn't drop Samantha. "Are you hearing me?" she cried. "I'M ALREADY MARRIED. OLIVIA IS MY WIFE. SORRY FOR NOT ADDING THE WORD HUSBAND TO THE END OF THAT SENTENCE. SORRY TO DISAPPOINT YOU, BUT SHE'S A WOMAN, AND I LOVE HER, AND IF THAT MEANS BEING EXILED FROM THIS FAMILY, FINE. BECAUSE I HAVE NO DESIRE TO BE A NOVAK IF ALL IT MEANS IS BEING A FREAKING HYPOCRITE."

"Casey, honey, please calm down. No one is exiling you. We're just a bit shocked. Can you blame us? Our daughter just told us that she's a lesbian now, and a married one at that." Deanna stood up. "Steven, come help me choose some samples. I have more in our bedroom," she said, gesturing to Casey's father. "Casey, get ready for dinner. Wash up, and tell Olivia to do so too. Dinner is at six sharp. Don't be late." Her warning lingering in the air, Deanna waltzed out, her husband close behind.

Now that they were alone, Casey looked at Olivia, her emerald eyes sparkling with the tears she had been fighting for the last quarter of an hour. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Casey, I am more than honored that you introduced me to your family. Whether they approve or not is not relevant to me. Sure it would be nice if they approved of us, but you're my wife, and no one is going to change that, not even your parents." Olivia wrapped her arms around Casey and held her tightly. Casey breathed in the scent of her wife's cologne and sighed. "I love you," she whispered tearfully. And then she looked down at her daughter, who had woken up in response to the screaming. "And I love you, Samantha," she murmured. "No one can hurt the Benson family."


	30. Fatherly Love

_Author's note: Hey everyone. I just want to take a minute to say I am so sorry for the long break from updating. I have been extremely depressed lately, and angry, and well, let's just say those are not emotions that are conducive to writing. I have had ideas for this story circulating in my mind, I just haven't been able to find the emotional energy to publish. However, I am finally back, and I want to thank everyone who is reading this for staying with me. Without further ado, I present the next chapter._

Dinner was something of a nightmare. Casey's mother was extremely rude to Olivia, and found something wrong in everything the detective said. And her father sat there, letting her mother railroad herself and Olivia emotionally. Several times during the meal, and especially during dessert, the word oaf ran through her mind when she looked at her father. She was becoming progressively angrier, er fury building within her with each insult her mother hurled, and she knew it would only be a matter of time before she completely lost her cool. After dinner, when the women had gone into the living room, and Casey's father upstairs into his office, Casey sighed. "Excuse me. I need to go to my room for a moment."

Seeing the confused look Olivia gave her, Casey smiled softly. "I'll explain later," she murmured under her breath, so her mother would not hear. Carefully, the redhead weaved her way around the furniture and made her way upstairs. Her room was on the fourth floor, the same floor as her father's office. Entering the bedroom she had had since she was a little girl, Casey closed the door behind her and looked around. The room looked the same it always had: impeccably clean, with everything organized alphabetically and by category; adorned with royal purple walls; occupied by a king sized sleigh bed and matching dressers; and the most expensive rugs and drapes that money could buy. Casey smiled softly to herself. She hadn't been in this room for a couple of years.

Pulling out of her thoughts, the attorney shook her head. She had to focus. Heading into the enormous walk in closet that held her shoes, she knelt down on the floor after retrieving a long black box. It wasn't the strappy stilettos inside that she sought. Rummaging through the tissue paper, Casey retrieved a folded up letter, which she stowed in her bra. It was an impromptu hiding place, she knew, but as she had no pockets, it was really the only option.

Intent on confronting her parents about the horrible secret she had inadvertently discovered recently, Casey knocked on her father's door, but paused when she heard the talking inside. Her father was laughing as he spoke. Casey tried not to listen, but her curiosity got the best of her. "That is an incredible idea," she heard him declare. "We can go to the villa in Italy. I can feed you chocolate covered strawberries in bed, and in return all I ask is that when we swim, you wear nothing."

Casey gasped as she listened. Who the hell was he talking to? A million thoughts swarmed in her mind, each more horrible than the last. He definitely wasn't speaking to her mother. His _wife. _Feeling sick to her stomach, Casey continued to listen. "Yes, Italy has wonderful maternity clothes, baby. I'll get you as much as you want."

Suddenly everything dawned as clear as day. Her father was having an affair, and he had gotten the other woman pregnant. Feeling sick to her stomach, Casey's head swarmed as the room began to spin. And within a matter of seconds, she had fallen to the floor, unconscious.

"Casey?"

Casey opened her eyes slowly, and looked up. It was Olivia who had spoken. The detective was looking down at her, concern etched into her face. "I'm fine," she protested weakly. As Olivia helped her sit up, Casey sighed. She realized she was on the couch, and knew instantly that it was Olivia who had carried her downstairs and laid her down. "I was..on my way down when I heard..." Suddenly, Casey paused as she noticed that her father was there too. She turned on him. "What is wrong with you?" the attorney demanded. "How could you do this to us?"

"Casey, honey, what are you talking about?" her father asked. He was feigning confusion, but the look on his face said all. "Drink some water, sweetie. You'll feel better."

"Is that what you tell your secret girlfriend?" Casey snapped, her ire boiling within her. "I heard you on the phone. Unless you were talking to yourself, which I highly doubt, would you like to tell Mom about your planned trip to Italy with your pregnant bimbo?"

"Casey!" her mother scolded. "Please watch your language, dear." She looked at her husband. "What is going on here? Don't lie to me. I've smelt the perfume that wasn't mine, I saw the necklace that you claimed you bought for me, and I saw the plane tickets to Italy, which I canceled, by the way."

Casey's father faltered, knowing he was caught in his lies and his actions. "Casey isn't feeling well," he protested. "She misheard something, and is trying to discredit me."

"Tell the truth!" Casey squeaked, feeling the tears well in her eyes. Olivia wrapped her arms around her, holding her to comfort her. "You've been cheating on Mom, I know it! I found this letter a long time ago, but I brushed it off. But when I heard you slip at dinner tonight with another woman's name instead of Mom's, I realized I needed to give her the letter." Casey handed the note to her mother. Her mother took it, and read it.

When she was finished reading, she looked at her husband. "Unless you have something to say in your defense, you had better get the hell out of this house."

"Deanna-" He faltered again, seeing the glares of three women. He sighed and launched his confession. "Her name is Amy. She's twenty one. I met her through my job, and it just happened. It has gone on for a year, and that letter was to tell me that...she's pregnant and the baby is mine." A collective gasp echoed throughout the room.


	31. The Fact of the Matter

_Author's note: Hey, everyone. I know I keep promising that I'm back and ready to write, and that I keep dropping off the face of the Earth every time I say this. You would be justified in thinking I'm a flake, but I would like to say that I'm not. I have been extremely sick in real life, and every time I have started to think I'm better, something seems to go wrong. I have an appointment on Thursday with a new gynecologist, but in all likelihood, I have a cyst, as I am having many of the symptoms. It has rendered me unable to focus, let alone write. However, I am going to try to get a couple chapters up a week, starting today. Again I am so sorry. Thanks to those of you who are reading this =)._

"I can't believe this is happening." Casey buried her head in Olivia's chest, letting out a quiet sigh as the older woman wrapped her arms around her, enveloping her in a warm embrace. "How could he do this? It's bad enough to have an affair, but with someone so—so—" The attorney broke off, unable to finish her sentence.

Clearly understanding, Olivia hugged her tightly, kissing the top of her head and brushing her fingers through the younger woman's long red curls. "I know, honey. Men can't be trusted. They think two heads are better than one, and that it entitles them to whatever and whomever they want. If only they would realize that they have twice the heads, but half the brains."

Casey let out an involuntary giggle. She had surprised even herself by doing so. Shaking her head, she laid it once more on her wife's chest. Her emerald eyes burned with the tears she had cried for the past several hours and her heart felt as if someone had crushed it in a vice. It was all she could do to remain as calm as she was, without throwing herself on the floor and dissolving into an incoherent mess. That just was not ladylike. "I know men like younger women, unless they have some sort of mommy fetish. But for him to sleep with someone almost twenty years younger than me..." The redhead trailed off, shaking her head once more. "I just don't understand," she murmured. "He has a family."

"I know, honey," Olivia whispered, rubbing her hands soothingly across Casey's body, massaging her muscles in an effort to calm her. "But listen to me." She lifted Casey's chin and gazed into her tear stained eyes. Brushing a fresh tear that was threatening to roll down the young attorney's cheek, Olivia smiled. "I love you with everything I have. I would do anything for you. You know that. Your father is an awful man for what he has done, and all I can do is promise you that I'll never do that to you, and that I am here for you no matter what happens." As she finished speaking, Olivia grabbed Casey's favorite cashmere throw blanket from the back of the couch and stood the younger woman in the blanket, she kissed her forehead and smiled. "I'm going to get you something to drink," she answered in response to the questioning look Caseygave her.

"Okay," Casey mumbled, laying her head on the pillow Olivia had placed on the arm of the couch earlier. It was a poor substitute for the solitude that came from resting with her head on her wife's chest, but it would do. Casey closed her eyes, sighing. They had come home soon after Casey's mother ordered her father to be moved out by the following morning. She had begged Casey and Olivia to stay, but Casey had not forgotten the reception they had received as a couple: the glares, the not so subtle homophobic jokes, and the incessant questions. After her father had given up pleading for another chance, and retreated upstairs to begin packing, Casey had asked Olivia if they could go home. Here they were. And four hours after the fact, Casey was still crying at random moments.

She must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew, the all too familiar sound of Olivia's cell phone ringing shattered the peace. Casey opened her eyes sleepily as Olivia answered. She smiled softly when she saw her wife sitting at the end of the couch, and she realized the brunette had been watching her sleep. This knowledge comforted her, though she struggled to realize why. When Olivia got off the phone, Casey gently reached up and poked her to let her know she was awake, as Olivia had turned away to answer the phone, and thus had not seen the redhead open her eyes.

"Hey," Olivia said softly, turning to face her once more. Realizing Casey had heard the conversation, she smiled gently. "That was Rollins. We're needed on scene at the drive by shooting of a little girl. Go back to sleep, sweetheart. I'll be home later."

Casey was about to reply, but the sudden sound of Samantha's crying from her downstairs crib cut her off. The redhead groaned softly, burying her face in the pillow. "The words baby and sleep must be in completely different languages," she muttered. She sighed and sat up, rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?"

Olivia checked her watch. "Three AM."

"Even better," Casey replied. Her voice was loaded with sarcasm. The events of the night had taken the toll on her mood, making her quite bitter about everything. However, she was doing everything she could to make sure she did not take her feelings out on her wife and their daughter. Yawning, she smiled softly, looking into Olivia's eyes. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," Olivia answered, leaning down to give her a passionate kiss. She chuckled as Casey began toying with the buttons on her blouse. "Case, what are you doing, sweetie?"

Casey grinned. "Learning the different types of buttons. See, there's this kind," she said, undoing the small black one on Olivia's top. "And then there's this kind," she went on, this time undoing the one on Olivia's signature black slacks. Meanwhile she gazed up at the older woman, smiling innocently.

Olivia shook her head. "And then there's the kind that's going to bind you to the bed when I get home. They are called handcuffs." Emphasizing her point, the detective flashed the silver cuffs in question. She kissed Casey again and stood up straight, doing a double check to make sure her gun and shield were on her. "Alright. I love you. See you sometime today."

Casey nodded. "I'll try to behave myself. Hopefully I won't miss you too much," she added, knowing Olivia would catch the double meaning of her words. And then, after one more passionate kiss that lasted several moments, Olivia was gone. Casey smiled softly to herself and stood, making her way over to her daughter's crib. She lifted her into her arms and, holding her tightly, carried her into the kitchen. "Is my princess hungry?" she cooed. As she opened the refrigerator to get some water for herself, Casey's attention was caught by the bright green numbers on the stove. It truly was only three AM. Shaking her head, the attorney carried her daughter upstairs into the master bedroom and sat down on the bed, preparing to feed her. There was, after all, nothing more special than the bond created between a mother and child during breast feeding.

_Author's note: Thanks for reading. I'm doing another poll of sorts. As always, please review, but also let me know if this story should have a sequel or not. Five reviews says yes ;)_


	32. Meeting Cocoa

_Author's note: I haven't decided how many chapters will be left in this story. I have decided that there will be a sequel, though, since this story has received so much positive feedback. I am thinking maybe ten to fifteen more chapters in this before the sequel, but a lot will depend on feedback, reviews, and my creativity. If I feel I have to write a description of someone crossing the street, well that will be my first clue that I'm out of ideas lol. But right now, I have many ideas, and I am excited to write them. So thanks for reading, and as always, PLEASE review ;)._

Casey sighed softly as she shifted on the bed. She opened one eye blearily, and realized her daughter was fast asleep in her arms. She smiled gently, and laid her head on the pillow once more, closing her eyes again. She had no sooner fallen into a light sleep before her cell phone rang, piercing the silence. Desperate to allow Samantha to sleep, Casey fumbled for her phone for several moments before she managed to grab it and shut it up by answering it. "Hello?" she asked sleepily.

"Casey, it's me," came her mother's voice from the other end. Her mother sounded exhausted, and Casey realized she had not gone to bed the previous night. This did not surprise her, after everything that had happened. "Did I wake you?"

"Mom?" Casey asked softly. "No, I was already pretty much up," she admitted. "I was just trying to fall back to sleep is all, but what do you need?"

"Is Olivia there?"

Casey shook her head, before realizing her mother could not see her. "She went to work already," she murmured. "She got called in."

"Leaving her family to themselves." Mrs. Novak scoffed, her voice full of contempt. And with her words came the shattering of Casey's hope that her mother would ever accept her marriage. "Typical cop. I always said that anyone who married a cop was setting themselves up for trouble." She sighed, and an awkward silence lingered. Finally, her mother continued. "Your father left early this morning. He packed whatever would fit in the limo and took it to wherever his new place is. I expect he'll be back later this afternoon for the rest of it. I thought maybe you would want to say goodbye."

Casey rolled her eyes. "I already said goodbye to him. I have nothing to say to a man who gets off on someone barely legal. He sacrificed us, Mom. He had a wife and daughter and he left us in the cold for a bimbo. So unless you want me to tell him to go to hell, which I'm sure violates our family's 'proper manners at all times' policy, then I have nothing to say to him. I choose, instead, to spend the day with my child, and enjoy the day off from work. First, however, I have to take a shower to scrub off the ten layers of shame you two have created."

"Casey, please, don't be this way. You have to know how much we love you."  
>"As long as I'm straight," Casey interjected, knowing her words would cut straight to the bone. "I'm sorry, mom, but I have feelings for a woman, and yes, she happens to be a cop. She may not have millions of dollars in the bank like this family, but I love her, and she loves me. I am not ever going to leave her, despite what you wish I would do. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm tired and hungry, and I need to take a shower. Good luck with Dad and his issues." And before she could say something she regretted, Casey hung up, tossing her phone lightly onto the nightstand on her side of the bed. Carefully, she carried Samantha into the nursery and laid her down in the crib, tucking her in. After giving her daughter a gentle kiss, Casey smiled to herself and made her way into the bathroom.<p>

Five minutes later, with the shower water on as hot as she could stand it, Casey stepped in, closing the glass door behind her. For several moments, she merely stood underneath the running water, allowing it to soothe her muscles and wake every inch of her up. While she stood, the attorney became lost in thought. The image of her father and his twenty something refused to abandon her mind, and each time it penetrated her thoughts, it manifested itself in a newly horrifying way. This time she was imagining them in bed, and the girl blurting out that she was pregnant in the midst of an incredible orgasm. Casey shuddered visibly as she returned to reality, and instantly felt as dirty as if she had been swimming in quicksand. She still could not bring herself to understand why her father had done this. The one feeling she could not shake was that he cared nothing for her and her mother anymore.

The attorney sighed and reached for her favorite shampoo. It was lavendar scented, imported from her favorite boutique in Paris. As she combed it through her crimson locks, Casey felt her rock hard muscles relax underneath the steamy water. It was the first time in as long as she could remember, especially lately, that she felt somehwat relaxed. Once her hair was washed, Casey switched to her conditioner, and as she waited the necessary three minutes before rinsing it out, she thought of Olivia. Olivia had been there for her through everything: the problems with Chance, the pregnancy; after all, she loved Samantha more than anything. And now there were the problems with Casey's family, which Olivia simply accepted. She stayed at Casey's side through thick and thin, and their marriage was truly the epitome of the vows they had made. Casey was proud of the older woman, and truly in love with her. No one, especially her parents, was going to tear them apart.

By the time her hair was washed and her body squeaky clean of the many layers of shame, a half hour had passed. Casey turned the water off and wrapped a towel around her naked body, wringing her hair to squeeze out the excess water. With the towel around her, she padded into the bedroom and then into the nursery to check on her daugher. Samantha was still sound asleep in her crib, her left thumb inserted in her little mouth. Casey smiled softly and exited as quietly as she had entered. For the day, she chose to dress in a simple black skirt and a purple blouse. With the outfit, she paired a pair of black stilettos. Once her hair was dried, she brushed it out, allowing her crimson curls to fall around her shoulders. Finally, once her makeup was finished, Casey grabbed her purse, checking to verify that she had every card she needed. Next, she packed her lipstick, her phone, and her wallet.

Once the diaper bag was finished, Casey gently lifted Samantha out of her crib, and carried her out of the bedroom. After preparing a bottle and packing a couple of spares, Casey retrieved her keys from the hook on the wall in the entrance of the kitchen. By the time the extremely anal attorney had performed her fifth double check, and buckled Samantha into her carseat, another fifteen minutes had passed. Once Casey had buckled her own seatbelt, she adjusted the rearview mirror and smiled softly to herself. Stop one would be the new toy store at the mall. There was a giant stuffed teddy bear that Casey had seen online, and decided was the perfect thing for the baby.

The other stops for the day would include the shoe store, the other toy store, and a few clothing stores. Casey also wanted to check out the pet store, for something she had been planning to buy for a month but had never gotten to. So it was with a considerable amount of excitement that Casey pulled into the mall parking lot forty five minutes later. It was going to be a great day.

Later that night, when she heard the front door open, Casey looked up from dicing the onions in front of her. She smiled when she saw, through the bar that separated the kitchen and living room, that it was Olivia. "Hey, beautiful," she called out.

Olivia smiled as she entered the kitchen. "Nothing better than hearing my sweet wife's voice when I get home," she said, kissing Casey on the lips and wrapping her arms around her from behind. "Did you have a good day today? I promise you'll have a good night."

Casey giggled and turned around, looking into the older woman's eyes. "I took Samantha shopping today," she said. "Be careful when you go in our room, because there's shopping bags everywhere. I haven't had a chance to put things away yet."

"It's fine, sweetie. Where all did you go?" Olivia asked, reaching around Casey and grabbing an onion piece. She popped it into her mouth and chewed it, ignoring Casey's playful glare.

"The toy store, the other toy store, some clothing stores and a few shoe stores. I was in a shopping mood," Casey explained, smiling. "You know me. I love shopping..." She trailed off as someone else entered the kitchen. "There's someone who wants to meet you?"

Olivia smiled. "Oh? Who would that be?" The detective suddenly looked down when she heard panting. "Casey Elizabeth Benson, you bought a puppy?" she asked.

"And I went to the pet store," Casey added, smiling. "This is Cocoa," she introduced, gesturing to their new bundle of joy. "She is a pedigree husky. Isn't she adorable?"  
>"Yes, she's adorable," Olivia agreed, smiling as she knelt down in front of the puppy, who began eagerly wagging her tail as she licked Olivia's hand. "She's very lovable and playful," the brunette observed. "Does she get along with Samantha?" she asked, looking up at Casey.<p>

Casey smiled and nodded as she watched the interaction between her wife and their new puppy. "When we got home, Samantha crawled over to her, and they spent a few moments watching each other curiously. It was like they were analyzing each other, and babe, it was more adorable than I could ever describe. And Cocoa was asleep next to the crib a few hours ago. I also got Samantha a giant teddy bear. It was fifty dollars but it was pink, so I couldn't resist." Casey smiled and looked into Olivia's eyes as the detective stood up and Cocoa scampered away to play with her toys in the living room. "I could tell you everything I bought, but I would rather show you after dinner. For now...I just want to..enjoy our time together." The redhead smiled and arched her eyebrow seductively. "Do you have any ideas as to how I want to spend a few moments together?" she asked.

Olivia chuckled. "You're a naughty prosecutor, you know that? I'm going to have to punish you for that later, because naughty behavior simply cannot go without consequences." She wrapped her arms around Casey's neck and pulled her in for a passionate kiss, pressing the younger woman's back against the counter. "I love you," Olivia murmured, before kissing Casey again.

Casey moaned softly, wrapping her arms around the detective's neck and deepening the kiss. Olivia's touch was the one thing that could make Casey feel as if she was floating on thin air. The time they spent together was incredible, as each woman always knew what the other wanted. Casey's arousal had just begun to take control of her mind and body when the baby monitor forced the two women to break apart.

"I've got her," Olivia murmured, her voice heavy with panting.

Casey smiled softly and nodded, then returned to her cooking. There would be time for being naughty later.


	33. Tearing the World Asunder

Olivia balanced the four steaming mugs of coffee on the tray in her hands as she entered the squadroom. She delivered each coffee to its owner: straight black for Munch, vanilla flavored for Rollins, hazelnut flavored for Amaro, and finally, straight black for herself. Once her own coffee was placed carefully on her desk, Olivia took her seat, and opened her desk drawer, then realized she had forgotten why she had opened it. Sighing, she closed it again, and it was at that moment that she noticed a shadow looming over detective looked up into the eyes of a young girl who could not have been older than twenty one. Her hair was disheveled and knotted, her clothes tattered and in ruins. Her eyes were bloodshot, her cheeks stained with a night of crying. Olivia immediately stood up.

"I—I didn't know who to talk to," the girl began in a wavering voice. "Or where to come."

"You came to the right place," Olivia assured her. "I'm Detective Benson, but you can call me Olivia. Would you like to go speak somewhere more private?" As the girl nodded, dropping her gaze, Olivia smiled softly and led her through the squadroom and into an empty interview room. Closing the door gently behind her, the detective locked it, and once the girl had taken her seat, Olivia adjusted the temperature on the wall thermostat. "Can I get you anything? A coffee or some water?" she offered.

"No, thank you," was the mumbled reply. The girl sniffled and wiped her nose with her sleeve. Olivia gently pushed a box of tissues across the table. "I'm Jane," she whispered.

Olivia responded with a soft smile. She recorded the information in the blank report she had grabbed on the way in and sighed, looking up. Jane was clearly distraught, as were nearly all victims that came in. If there was one thing Olivia had realized over the years, it was that victims often fit into two categories when they first reported their assault: extremely angry, or overly dependent. "Jane, I know this is hard, but do you think you can tell me what happened to you?" Olivia asked.

"I feel so dirty," Jane whispered. "What is everyone going to say? They will call me a whore and think I'm some slut off the street."

"No, honey," Olivia assured her. She responded with another gentle smile when Jane looked up at her tearfully. "No one will think that. This is not your fault, I promise you that."

Jane shook her head and buried her face in her hands. "He was so old," she cried. "He was old and gross but he was so handsome and charming that I agreed to go to dinner with him, to keep him company. He said...he said he was having some trouble, and just needed someone to talk to. So he called my boss and they set it up."

Olivia paused. "Jane, are you a prostitute?" she asked, knowing it was the direct questions that often got the most answers. She had been with the Special Victims Unit long enough to know what to ask and who to question about what.

"I—I'm an escort," Jane answered, wiping the tears from her eyes. More immediately threatened to fall. "Am I in trouble?"

"No," Olivia promised. "Jane, listen to me. We don't care what you do for a living. It wouldn't matter if you had sex with fifty men an hour. If one man took advantage of you, and you said no, then it is him that is in trouble, not you. But I need you to tell me what happened."

Jane sighed softly, lifting her head to look at Olivia. "He called my boss," she repeated. "And it was supposed to be my day off, but my boss called me and said there was a man who was lonely and wanted someone to accompany him to dinner and then an opera. I said yes, thinking I could at least cheer someone up. When I got to the restaurant, there was an old man waiting. He had to be about sixty. And he was so nice. He took my coat and then he led me to the table he had reserved, and said he had already ordered for us. We shared a bottle of wine, and then the food arrived, and we started to talk. He was really nice too. He listened to me vent about my problems with my ex boyfriend, and he actually seemed to care. But throughout dinner, I felt his hand inching closer to my hand on the table, but I tried not to notice it. I tried not to notice when I felt his hand on my thigh, and I told myself he was just lonely. But I pushed his hand away, and told him we should eat so we would not be late to the show. He apologized, and I actually thought he was friendly you know?"

Olivia nodded, writing as she listened. Her pen moved as quickly as Jane talked, in order to be able to make note of each important detail. "What happened after dinner?" Olivia asked.

"After dinner?" Jane repeated. "Uh...he paid and then led me to a limo he had ordered. He said the limo matched my dress perfectly, and I thought the compliment was cheesy, but sweet. Once we got to the opera and sat down, he started acting strangely. He would lean over me at odd moments and wrap his arm around the back of my chair. During intermission he whispered in my ear that I was more beautiful than everyone on stage combined. I felt weird, but I just went along with it, because I still thought he was just lonely. And after all, he paid for the night, so I thought I owed him...I feel so stupid now. You must think I'm stupid for not getting away from him right then and there."

"Jane, I don't think that at all. He had no right to touch you, even if you paraded in front of him with nothing on. No means no, and there is nothing that can override that."

Jane reached for a tissue and snatched it from the box, and immediately blew her nose. She sighed and looked away for a moment, then down at the floor. "I can't believe this is happening."

Olivia stood up and brought the trash can over to her. "After the opera, what happened next?"

"We got back in the car and once we got back to my place, he offered to walk me up to my apartment. And I thanked him, and told him how much I would appreciate that. He helped me out of the limo and we went up to my apartment. Outside the door, he gave me a kiss goodnight, and thanked me for spending the evening with him. I had just gotten inside and was about to close the door when he caught it, and shoved it open. I told him to leave, but he wouldn't. He said I was too beautiful to be alone, and he—he said women were bitches and that someone had to keep us in line. He kissed me again, but I pushed him away and kicked him as hard as I could between the legs. He—he got so angry and he grabbed me and pinned me to the wall, pushing my skirt up to my waist." Jane closed her eyes and bit her lip hard in a clear effort to keep from completely breaking down.

Olivia continued to write, feeling her anger mounting. She already knew that when they found this prick, he would be in a world of hurt with her. "Jane, do you need a break?" she asked.

"No. I think I'm okay," Jane answered, looking up at her once more. "Um...he had me against the wall, and I couldn't move. He was so strong, even though he was so old. And then I heard him unzip his pants, and then...I felt him...you know..inside...I tried to fight him off but he—he-"

"He hit you," Olivia observed, noting the bruises on Jane's neck and hairline. It was obvious that she had been pinned, in addition to hit. "What happened next?"

"When he was finished, he thanked me again and he said if I told the cops, he would know and that I should consider that my warning. He kissed me again, and then he just...left."

Olivia sighed. "Jane, did he use a condom?" she asked.

"No. He didn't use anything. Not even gloves," Jane replied tearfully.

Olivia finished writing and then closed the file, laying her pen down on top of it. "Have you showered since the attack?" The detective watched as Jane shook her head silently. Olivia felt a surge of relief course through her. For once, a stupid rapist, she thought. "When did this happen to you?"

"It happened last night," Jane answered. "I was so scared, and I just laid on the floor of my apartment, feeling that I could die, and no one would even care. I would rather die than feel like this."

"I understand," Olivia replied. "But there is some good news, or at least a light at the end of the tunnel here. Since it happened yesterday and you have not showered, we can still recover his DNA. We would have to do a rape kit, and this would mean I would take you to the hospital, and they would collect evidence from you and your clothes. I want you to understand that you are by no means required to do this, but if you want to catch this man, it would help us more than you can imagine."

Jane sniffled and grabbed a handful of tissues. The box, Olivia noticed, was now empty. "I want to do it," she answered, tossing her disheveled brown curls back, tucking them behind her ears. "Will it hurt though? Will you be there? Don't leave me."

"I'll be there every step of the way," Olivia promised. "I'll hold your hand if you want, but no, it won't hurt at all. The worst you'll feel is a bit of pressure during the pelvic exam, and the cold sensation that accompanies the pressure. But once we get his DNA, we can run it, and if he's in the system we can nail him. He will never hurt you or any woman ever again. You just let me know when you want to go, alright, and we'll go."

Jane stood up slowly. "I—I'm ready," she whispered. "But um...do you want his name first?"

Olivia looked at her. "That would be great," she said. She had planned to ask that at the hospital, but it would be just as well to know beforehand. It was not a stranger rape, after all.

"His name is Steven. I don't remember his last name. It was..." She trailed off, and spent the next several moments deep in thought, straining to remember the name. "I remember!" she suddenly cried out. "His name was Novak, with an n."

Olivia felt the world spin. She gripped the edge of the table to prevent herself from falling. "Jane, excuse me for one moment?" she requested. "I'll be right back in so we can go. One moment." Feeling weak in the knees, the detective grabbed the file off of the table and exited the interview room and found Nick on the other side of the glass.

"Does Novak have a brother?" he asked. "I thought she was an only child."

"She is. It's her father," Olivia murmured, feeling numb from head to toe. She handed the file containing Jane's statement to her partner. After taking a few moments to regain her composure as best she could, she entered the interview room and smiled softly at Jane. "Ready?" she asked.

_Author's note: I promised plot twists, so here you go. Review and let me know what you think please. I plan on fleshing this out of course, but I need to get some feedback first to see how many like the idea. Thanks for reading. =)_


	34. Casey's Heartbreak

Casey gently pressed the button on her keys that opened the garage. She watched as the enormous door opened, and sighed before pulling in. Turning the car off, the attorney stepped out and opened the trunk, grabbing as many bags as she could carry. It was with much effort that she managed to carry the bags and unlock the door. Carrying the bags into the house, Casey placed them on the island in the center of the kitchen. She smiled when she saw Olivia making a pot of coffee. "Hey, babe."

"Hey, sweetie." Olivia kissed her softly and smiled. "I wish you would have told me you were going grocery shopping. You should have waited for me. You know I would have helped."

"Babe, it's fine. Really. We do need to get Samantha from the babysitter's in an hour or so, but we should have enough time to put the groceries away. I didn't plan on going, actually. But on the way home I realized that we were out of milk and also coffee creamer, so I just decided to get this month's shopping out of the way while I was at it."

Olivia nodded and kissed her again. "Well, I want you to relax. I'll get the rest of the bags. I don't want you doing all of this heavy lifting." Casey tried to protest, but Olivia shushed her, and exited the kitchen. A few moments later, Casey heard the car door open. She shook her head, wondering what the older woman was hiding. Something was clearly going on. Now it was just a matter of figuring out what that something was. Turning to the first bag on the left, Casey reached in and retrieved the three five pound bags of sugar. She carried them to the pantry and placed them on the top shelf, turning around just as Olivia entered with four more bags. Olivia smiled. "There's several left. I'll be done in a few minutes though. I made coffee. Vanilla roast. Your favorite."

"Thank you, but I-" Casey paused as Olivia hurried out again. Yeah. Something was definitely up. The attorney shook her head and reached into another bag, this time taking out the two flavors of liquid coffee creamer. Olivia preferred her coffee black, but Casey was determined to get her wife to try the hazelnut cream, while she herself, as always, would enjoy the French vanilla. After placing the creamers in the refrigerator, Casey set to work removing the various types of meat she had bought. Chicken, pork, beef, and turkey were placed on the counter, organized and stacked carefully. She would repackage it shortly. She looked up as Olivia re-entered yet again. "Is that the last of it?" she asked, gesturing to the five bags in the older woman's hands.

"I think so," Olivia affirmed, placing the bags on the table, as the island was officially out of room. "Damn, baby, what did you do? Buy the store?"

Casey smirked. "No. I just bought everything we need. I did buy a couple of things we don't necessarily need, but that I thought we could try. For example..." The attorney reached for the nearest bag and pulled out a bag of chips. "Have you ever had these?" she asked. "They are potato skins...I bought them because a friend at work said they are extremely delicious. And with the party coming up this weekend, I realized we needed snacks. I also bought two shrimp platters."

"You might want to stash that," Olivia remarked with a grin. "At least until the party. I mean you know how much I love shrimp."

"Olivia, you love anything that's edible," Casey giggled. "I bought other things as well, but you'll just have to wait and see. It gives an element of surprise, you know. I hear that's a lovely thing to have."

Olivia wrapped her arms around the younger woman and held her, kissing her neck gently. "I love you so much," she whispered in Casey's ear. The sound of the older woman's husky whisper sent shivers through Casey, who had to fight to restrain herself from pouncing on her wife. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked.

Casey smiled softly. "Well, I've been trying to decide what to have for dinner. I guess we could have the steak I bought. Can you marinate it while I put the rest of these groceries away? Then, when we get home after picking the baby up, can you cook it on the grill?"  
>"Sounds perfect," Olivia replied, kissing her again before stepping around her to hunt for the steak. Finding it, she took it, and carried it over to the counter beside the stove. "Do you know what side dish you're going to make yet?" she asked as she removed the steak from its wrapping and transferred it from its tray onto the cutting board. Retrieving the special meat scissors, Olivia set to work removing the fat from the edges of the meat. As she trimmed, she spoke. "Did you buy any more of that bread with the special garlic flavor?"<p>

"The pre-made garlic bread?" Casey asked, carrying the chips and crackers over to the pantry. "I bought some, but I need to know if you want me to cook it or if you want to eat it raw. As for a side dish, I was thinking of making baked potatos." She turned and smiled at Olivia, who returned the gesture. "I love the time we share as a family. You, me, our little girl. It's a comfort, especially given the horrors we see each and every day." Casey finished placing the crackers on the third shelf in the pantry and sighed.

"Casey, being with you and Samantha has made me realize that there is more to life than being a cop. I know that sounds strange, but for years, my job has been my life. It has been my home, my spouse, and my life. But being with you has made me realize that there is more out there, and I've come to realize that I would rather lose my job than lose you or our daughter." Olivia laid down the scissors and walked over to Casey, pulling her in for a passionate kiss. "I love you, Casey. No matter what happens, promise me you'll never forget that. And know that I would never do anything to hurt you."

"I know, babe," Casey replied. "And you know I would never dream of hurting you, but what is this about? You've been extremely helpful since you got home from work last night. You've been eager to help, and you've been speaking about things that seem to hint at some future destruction of our marriage. Did something happen? Did you get fired, or did someone say you have to divorce me or lose your job? Honestly, babe, this is worrying me. What is going on, Olivia?"

Olivia sighed. She seemed to be contemplating something, and the more seconds that ticked by, the more worried Casey became. Finally, Olivia shook her head and looked into Casey's eyes. "Casey, listen to me. I love you more than anything. Please just keep that in mind when I tell you what has had me so highstrung for the past couple of days."

"Please just tell me," Casey begged. "If you're leaving me, I need to know right now."

"It's nothing like that," Olivia promised quickly. "I would never leave you. I love you far too much for that. It's just..." The brunette groaned and ran her hand through her hair, sighing deeply. "Oh, this is awful." She sighed. "Honey, maybe you better sit down," she said.

Casey tried to protest, but realized it would be futile. She could see the desperation and worry clouding Olivia's eyes, so she nodded and walked over to the table, and sat down slowly. "What happened?" she asked quietly, a million worries flashing through her mind, each more terrible than the last. Olivia had to go undercover again. Something had happened to their daughter. Their family was being threatened by an angry perp. But no amount of thought could have prepared Casey for the confession that Olivia was about to utter.

"Honey, I know how awful it was for you to discover that your father was having an affair with a younger woman. I know the rift it caused between your parents, the damage it inflicted. And I know how difficult it has been for you and your mother to get along, between what he did and you introducing me to them...and I know how much you were hoping that this mess could be fixed somehow. But I...I don't think it can."

"I know what the affair did, Olivia, but they're my parents," Casey replied. "My mom is extremely upset with my father, and so am I, but they'll work it out. They always have before."

"Not this time, sweetie." Olivia took a deep breath and closed her eyes, before launching her explanation. "I was interviewing a rape victim yesterday," she began. "While telling me about her attack, she told me something. Something I never would have imagined in a million years. She told me that...she knew her rapist, and she gave us his name."

Casey, who was normally extremely intelligent, was unable, at that moment, to put the pieces of the puzzle together herself. "Was it someone close to her? Was she raped by a family member? The mafia?" Casey paused, and realization flashed across her face. "No," she murmured, shaking her head.

Olivia sighed. "I'm sorry, honey. The name she gave us was your father's. She described his appearance perfectly, and we're bringing him in for a line up."

"YOU WHAT?" Casey cried, standing up so quickly she nearly lost her balance. "How do you even know she's telling the truth?" she demanded. "My father is a well known man. He is powerful and rich, so there are a lot of women who would love to get at him." Under normal circumstances, she would never even think of accusing a rape victim of lying, but this was different. After everything that had happened, this was just too much. Enough was enough. "How can you do this?" Casey cried, tears flooding her emerald eyes. "I thought you loved me."  
>"I do love you," Olivia replied, reaching out to touch Casey. But the younger woman pulled back, as if the detective's touch had scalded her. "Casey, sweetheart, I'm so sorry about this. I only wanted to protect you, but you have to trust me. Your father is our prime suspect, and you have to understand that I'm not even supposed to tell you this."<p>

Casey shook her head. "Conflict of interest," she murmured, her voice laced with a combination of confusion and contempt. "I-I just can't believe this is happening. First the affair and now this...if this is karma, what did I do to make the universe so angry with me?" she cried. "How could he do this? What did he do to that poor girl?" And at that thought, Casey completely lost it. She stumbled forward, and into Olivia's arms. Feeling the older woman wrap her arms around her, Casey broke down sobbing, feeling as if her world had crashed around her, with no hope of ever getting better.

_Author's note: Well, I've made some decisions on this story. There will definitely be a sequel, I just haven't decided how soon yet. It will depend on the direction the story takes, which even I have not decided yet. But I do promise there are still many twists and turns ahead, so stay tuned. Thank you for reading, and please review ;). Feedback is an author's bread and butter. _


	35. Clue

_Author's note: Hey everyone. I've been trying to do so many things at once. I've been planning the end of this story, while planning the beginning of the sequel. I've been planning to do a promo video for the story as well. Needless to say, all of these ideas have stacked on top of each other and I've become a bit disoriented over the past couple of weeks. However, I am better now, and ready to write. I don't know how many more chapters will be in this story. It will be under ten, for sure, but beyond that I just don't know yet. The reviews and feedback it has received are what have made me decide to write a sequel. After all, too much of a good thing is a good thing ;). Anyway, enjoy this chapter, and as always, thanks for reading. Reviews would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. =)._

As Shakespeare once wrote, "What's in a name?" As she sat alone in her office late Monday afternoon, Casey reflected on that line from Juliet Capulet's infamous monologue. The words seemed all too appropriate for what had quickly become her roller coaster of a life. Every high point she had taken advantage of over the course of the last year was now being balanced, even destroyed, by the hidden secrets being revealed at every turn.

All her life, Casey had been proud to be a Novak. She came from a wealthy home. Growing up, she had everything and wanted for naught. Her parents loved her, she was beautiful, popular, and extremely intelligent. Being a Novak meant pride. Now, that was being destroyed. Casey clicked her pen closed and folded her arms on top of her desk, staring blankly at a random place on the wall, while her mind wandered, contemplating everything that had happened in such a short time.

Her parents could not accept her as a lesbian, or the fact that she was married. Her parents cared nothing for her happiness, it seemed. This was especially true of her mother. In addition to dealing with the stress of that, Casey was now faced with her father's affair with a woman much younger than herself. If that was not bad enough, a rape victim had identified him as her rapist. There was no way around the truth, despite how horrible it truly was. Casey knew that if she did not have Olivia and their baby, she would have completely lost it by now.

Sighing, the attorney stood up and poured herself a cup of coffee from the pot resting on the table in the corner of the office. She stirred in three sugars and retrieved the French vanilla liquid creamer from the mini refrigerator. After adding that to the coffee, she watched the black liquid turn to a light brown as she stirred. Placing the creamer in the refrigerator once more, Casey carried her coffee to her desk and sat down once more.

As she sat down, her cell phone pierced the silence, startling her. As each contact had a particular ringtone, Casey knew it was her mother. Grabbing the cell phone more roughly than she intended, Casey jabbed the end button and gently tossed the phone onto a stack of files beside her. She couldn't face her mother. She couldn't bring herself to tell her the horrible truth, though she had a sneaking suspicion she already knew. Casey shook her head as she imagined the newspaper headline. "Local ADA daughter of a rapist." It would provide excellent fuel for future defense attorneys seeking to ruin her career, not to mention the toll it would take on her conviction rate and reputation.

The phone rang again. It was her mother again. This time, instead of hitting the end button, Casey just ignored the call completely. It would take too much energy to reach for the object, energy she was too depressed to muster. She had no sooner buried her head in her arms atop her desk, when her phone rang yet again. "Jesus Christ!" she exclaimed. Grabbing the phone, she stabbed the answer button and held it to her ear. "What?" she snapped.

"I was just calling to see if you wanted me to pick you up for lunch," came Olivia's voice. Casey immediately felt guilty for not recognizing her wife's ringtone. Naturally, she had simply assumed it was her mother again. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Casey answered quietly, wishing she sounded more convincing. "Uh." She checked the clock and sighed, noting that it was a quarter past five. "Can we make it inner instead of lunch?" the redhead asked.

Olivia answered almost immediately. "Of course. Listen, I have a few more things to finish up here. Once I finish this DD5, I'll be on my way. I should be there by seven at the latest. Is that alright?"

Casey nodded, before realizing Olivia couldn't see her. "That's fine," she replied softly. "Babe? Have you um...have you heard anything about-" She broke off, unable to bring herself to finish the thought. Thankfully, Olivia seemed to know what she was thinking.

"Have I heard anything about the case?" she asked. Casey knew the detective was trying to be discrete, since she was in the squadroom. She assumed there were at least a couple of other people. "No. I haven't heard anything. But I'm sure I will soon. Once I know something, you'll know too, so you can prepare for the trial." Again with the code speaking. Casey was surprised she was even able to decipher it, as depressed as she currently was.

"Okay," Casey whispered. "I'll see you in a bit. I love you, babe."

"Me too," Olivia answered before hanging up. For several moments after the call ended, she sat numbly, holding her phone silently, thinking of nothing. Finally, as if she were moving in slow motion, the attorney dropped her phone into her purse and crossed her legs, taking a tiny sip of her coffee. The scalding liquid would make her mouth a bit numb later, but the redhead barely felt it as she swallowed.

Casey thought of Olivia, the love they shared, and the fact that her family was so against it. And as she thought of that, and everything else that was currently happening in their lives, Casey lost it. She broke down sobbing, the tears flooding her emerald green eyes and rolling down her naturally pale skin. After twenty minutes or so of crying, Casey had fallen asleep with her head on a stack of files. She had no clue how long she had been asleep, or that she had even fallen asleep, until she felt the gentle kiss on the top of her head. Stirring, Casey gently lifted her head and turned around, looking up at Olivia. "Hey," she mumbled sleepily. "What time is it?"

"Hey, sleepyhead," Olivia replied with a gentle smile. She checked her watch and then brushed a stray red curl out of Casey's eyes. "It's seven fifteen and I don't know about you, but I'm starving. What do you say we go to the restaurant we spent for our first official date?"

Casey nodded, too sleepy to comprehend much of anything at the moment. "Sounds good," she mumbled, standing up slowly. "After, we need to get the baby from the sitter's."

"I know, sweetie. Just relax," Olivia replied, kissing Casey softly. She retrieved the younger woman's coat from the rack and helped her put it on. Once she was buttoned up, Casey smiled as Olivia kissed her again. "I know I could not say it on the phone, but I hope you know that I love you more than anything in the world. You are my princess, my baby, and my soul mate."

Casey nodded her emerald eyes flashed a lighter green with the first hint of happiness in the several weeks since she had discovered the truth about her own father. "I love you so much. You are my queen, my sexy cop wife, and my everything. I will be at your side for eternity. I hope you know that," Casey concluded, citing Olivia's own words.

Olivia smiled. "Shall we?" she asked, gesturing toward the door. And after Casey had retrieved her briefcase and purse, they exited the office together. Casey was extra careful to lock the door, knowing the last thing she needed was to find her office vandalized, or worse.

Later, at the restaurant, Casey sighed as she absentmindedly sprinkled shredded cheese onto her pre-dinner salad. Smothering the multitude of lettuce, vegetables and croutons with ranch dressing, she mixed it and shook her head. "I just don't believe this," she murmured as she added a pinch of pepper and a dash of salt. They were sitting in a booth in a deserted section of Olivia's favorite Italian restaurant, which doubled as the location of their first true date. It was a relief that they could talk freely, as they were the only ones in this section of the restaurant, with the exception of an occasional bus boy or waiter.

Olivia took a rather large sip of her wine and reached for a piece of garlic bread from the basket between them. "I know it's a terrible shock, honey, but trust me. I will help you through this. I am here for you no matter what happens. God knows I've had my share of family issues."

Casey nodded, and stabbed a piece of lettuce with her fork. Once she was finished chewing and had swallowed, she looked out the window for a moment, then at Olivia. "It feels...surreal," she admitted. "I've never believed in out of body experiences, but I have to tell you, this truly feels like one. It's like my mind is watching what my body is going through, powerless to stop anything. It's almost as if I was watching someone else. So it's like watching my own body, but it feels like it's someone else..." The attorney trailed off and sighed once more. "I know it does not make much sense," she mumbled. "But this is all so confusing. It's like playing a game of Clue. Who did it? Why? Where did they do it? What weapon did they use?"

"Only this time, the game of Clue is your life," Olivia answered, taking a bite of her bread. "Who did it? Your father. Where did he do it? In an alley. What weapon did he use? His penis. It's the why that nobody understands. It's the motive that has yet to rear its ugly head."

Casey had never been so grateful for Olivia understanding her in her life. For the second time that night, she realized that she would be a complete mess without the older woman. "Olivia, I don't know what to do," she said quietly, blinking back a fresh round of tears. "I can't believe he would have an affair with one woman and rape another. It's too...awful. And I know that's the understatement of the year, but honestly, I'm unable to come up with a better choice of words right now."

"I know," Olivia replied. She reached across the table and placed her hand over Casey's, looking into the younger woman's beautiful emerald eyes. "We will get through this," she promised again. "I promise you that. What do you say we talk about this later, and right now, I take your mind off of it?"

"I suppose," Casey murmured. Sighing, she stabbed another piece of salad. It was going to be a long night.

_Author's note: Well, what did everyone think? Casey definitely needs some comfort. Luckily, Olivia is there for her. But everyone has a secret. Is Olivia one of them? Wait and see. For now, thanks for reading, and please review ;)._


	36. The Airport

_Author's note: The good news is, I have devised the perfect title and even a basic plot line for the sequel to this story. I am extremely satisfied with the positive feedback this particular story has received, as well as the feedback my writing in general has accrued. I've been trying to update at least once or twice a week, but lately I've been having some writer's block. Every time I think it's gone, it seems to resurface, due to the fact that I have a lot of stress in my real life right now. However, I want to thank everyone who has been with me from day one, and to all new readers as well. It is all of you that make the writing worth it, so thank you. Without further ado, I present chapter thirty six._

Dinner was a meal. It was nothing special, just the consumption of food. Under normal circumstances, Casey loved dates with Olivia. They were peaceful and exciting, and extremely sexy. However, with everything going on recently, the young attorney was listless, and it would take a Herculean effort to console her. As she ate, she barely paid attention to what was going into her, and it took forty minutes just to finish her salad. She was a wreck. That much she knew.

Aimlessly pushing her pasta around on her plate, Casey sighed once more, feeling nothing but empty. She heard the sound of clinking dishes and the quiet mrumors of the other customers, but it was as if they were a thousand miles away. Casey jumped when she felt a hand over her own. She looked up slowly, and met Olivia's beautiful chocolate brown gaze. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" Olivia asked gently. "We can go home if you want. I'll make you some of your favorite tea and you can relax."

Casey shook her head. "This is our date," she murmured, the statement serving as a refusal, but also an explanation for that refusal. She looked around at the other couples around them and sighed, returning her gaze to her dinner. "They used to be like that," she whispered.

"I know, honey," Olivia answered softly, her hand squeezing Casey's gently. "Listen to me, baby. I know how hard this is for you, but you know what? You're beautiful and I love you. And I know it seems that all hope is lost right now, but every thorn is grown off of a rose. I want you to think of everything that has happened recently. That is the thorn. Now visualize my love for you. Lose yourself in it, understand it. There is your rose, baby girl. You know that when all hope is lost, you will still have me, no matter what."

Casey sniffled, and looked up, once more meeting Olivia's gaze. "If you ever left me, I don't know what I would do," she answered, her voice strained with her efforts to fight back another round of tears.

"That will never happen," Olivia assured her. She squeezed the younger woman's hand once more and then pulled back, lifting her fork and twirling a bite of pasta. "I think I know what will cheer you up," she announced suddenly.

"Six hours of kinky sex won't cut it," Casey answered, without looking away.

Olivia smiled gently. "Well, I think I know what will." The detective reached into her coat pocket and removed an envelope. She handed it to Casey, who took it slowly, wondering what was inside. "No one hurts my wife and gets away with it," Olivia explained. "It's going to be awhile before this issue is taken to court, and until then, you are not going to be anywhere near this. I've been planning this for days, but things were only finalized this morning. Open," she ordered, gesturing to the envelope.

Casey did as she was told, gently breaking the seal on the envelope without tearing the entire thing. She removed two skinny rectangular pieces of paper, and lowered her gaze to read. After several moments, she gasped. "Olivia, what-"

"I promised you that I would take care of you for the rest of your life. How is it taking care of you if I allow your mind to remain fixated on your father's callousness?" Olivia asked. "As soon as we found out about the affair, I decided I was going to take you somewhere special to give you time to heal. And when this all came out, before I told you, I started looking online to plan the perfect getaway. I know how much you love your French heritage, so the first step was booking us plane tickets to Paris. Then I booked the most elegant hotel there, and even managed to rent a car that will be ready for us to use when we arrive. Casey, I just want you to be happy, sweetie. I can't bear to see you in so much pain."

Casey was still in shock, and it took her several moments to muster enough voice to overcome her speechlessness and respond. "This is...incredible," she whispered. "This is amazing. Olivia, you make me feel so...loved. When I'm with you I feel like a princess, in every sense of the word. I shudder to think what or who I would be without you and our little girl." She looked down at the plane tickets once more, and a soft smile formed on the beautiful attorney's face for the first time in days. "This is amazing," she whispered again. Looking up, she managed a tiny smile. "Does the trip happen to come with hours of kinky sex?" she asked, her playful nature slowly emerging through her depressed exterior.

Olivia chuckled. "Well of course, sweetie. All night long, every night. Just you and me. It will be like our second honeymoon."

"But what about the baby?" Casey asked.

"I have already taken care of that," Olivia replied. "I talked to Melinda. She has agreed to watch Samantha. Everything is taken care of, I promise you. You just need to worry about packing. I would do it for you, but you know that would result in your suitcase being full of lots of sexy lingerie. I know what I like."

"Olivia Nicole!" Casey exclaimed, giggling. "We're in public, detective. Must you be such a pervert?"

Olivia shrugged, taking a rather large bite of garlic bread. "You know what they say. You have to be yourself to be truly happy. My happy self likes being with your sexy self."

Casey rolled her eyes, and for the first time in days, she had completely forgotten about her father. Of course, she felt guilty about flying to another country for a few weeks while the women her own father had violated were left to suffer with their memories, but she knew no matter what she did, she could not do any good for them. She could not testify on their behalf, and she sure as hell could not be the prosecutor on the case, any more than Olivia could be the detective. And Casey realized, as they finished their dinner, that the best good she could do for the women was to avoid all interference. It was the only way to truly get justice for them.

_"We forgot the blankets!" _Casey exclaimed. She stood up immediately.

Olivia gently helped her sit back down. "I packed them in our carry ons," she promised. "I told Melinda we would call when we landed, so she wouldn't worry, and so our baby can hear our voices. Your lullabies have always made her fall fast asleep."

Casey nodded with a soft smile, feeling her cheeks redden in an embarrassed blush. "Well, my lullabies might help, but for some reason, she likes to fall asleep cuddling your handcuffs."

"She knows they will protect her," Olivia responded with a grin. She shook her head and turned to face Casey. Their flight was due to leave in two hours. Casey had insisted on being to the airport five hours early, just in case, and they had been sitting in these very seats for the past hour and a half. There were few other people in the area, but as the departure time grew nearer, it was a definite fact that the area would begin to fill up. "Case?" Olivia asked.

Casey shook her head, and turned to face the older woman. She had spaced out while reading the itinerary. "Hmm?" she asked absentmindedly. In lieu of an answer, Olivia cupped her chin and kissed her passionately. An elderly couple clucked disapprovingly, and Casey pulled back to glare at the woman, who was not so subtly cackling to her husband. "Is there a problem?" the attorney demanded, slipping into the tone normally reserved for the perverts in court, and their attorneys.

"I don't think your husband would very much approve of this display you are exhibiting," the woman answered.

Casey's emerald eyes narrowed in an icy glare. "I beg your pardon?" she asked through clenched teeth. "For your information, madam, I am married, but is not my husband you have to be concerned for. However, you should be concerned with how my _wife_ will react."

Olivia sighed and stepped in. "It is clear that you two do not approve, but I don't need your permission to be with my wife. If you want to look away, by all means do, but please do not interfere with what is surely none of your business."

Casey was about to reply, but another man stood up. He had been sitting behind the elderly couple, and it was clear that he had witnessed the entire exchange. Casey braced herself for another torrent of discrimination, but the man quickly established a different viewpoint. "I could not help but overhear the discussion between you four. And from the sounds of it, it seems you two are harrassing these two women," he announced, gesturing to the elderly couple. By now, most everyone was staring at the five people, as if watching a movie. Casey half expected bowls of popcorn to start being distributed.

"Homosexuality is a sin," the elderly man countered in a raspy whisper.

"God also says love thy neighbor and not to judge others. That being said, why don't you mind your own business and leave these women alone?" the man ordered. Casey could see, by examining his facial features and listening to his voice, that he was no more than twenty five.

Casey tried to speak. "Um. Thanks for the help but you really don't have to-"

"Yes I do," came the firm but gentle reply. "My baby brother killed himself because of pricks like these, who convinced him that he was a monster for loving men. It pisses me off when I hear people rolling all over nice couples like you two. Consider it a favor."

"Thank you," Casey mumbled. She sighed, and closed her eyes, attempting to take a nap while she waited for the boarding to commence.

An hour later, the boarding began. Within fifteen minutes, Casey and Olivia were comfortably seated in the first class section. Minutes later, the aisle seat was claimed. Casey looked up, and gasped when she saw the mystery man from the waiting area. "Hi," she whispered.

Olivia, too, looked up, and smiled. "Fancy seeing you here," she added. "I'm Olivia, and this is Casey, my wife."

Their words were rewarded with a smile, as he settled into the seat. "Sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight," he said, giving them an understanding smile and a wink.

Once the plane had been in the air for a few hours, Casey yawned, feeling sleepy all of a sudden. She snuggled under the blanket Olivia had covered her with, and laid her head on the older woman's shoulder.

"I love you," Olivia whispered, kissing the top of her head. She wrapped her arms around the younger woman and held her.

"I love you too," Casey whispered, falling fast asleep in the comforting arms of the woman she loved with all of her heart.


	37. The City of Love

Casey stirred to the sound of a vibrating cell phone. Moments later, she heard Olivia speaking quietly, and wondered briefly who her wife was talking to. But Casey was too tired to keep her eyes open, so she allowed them to close, as she once more snuggled at the older woman's side. When she felt Olivia move, she moaned softly and opened her eyes, blinking in an attempt to force them to open. "Babe?" she asked softly.

Olivia turned to her and smiled. "Good morning, beautiful," she answered, planting a gentle kiss on the top of the beautiful attorney's head. "Did I wake you?"

"No," Casey murmured. "Well...the phone..." she admitted. She realized she was not making much sense, but it was much too early in the morning to function.

"Sorry, sweetie," Olivia answered, leaning down to kiss her passionately on the lips. Reading the confused look on the redhead's face, the detective smiled. "Don't worry, honey. That was just Melinda. She called to make sure we slept well."

Casey nodded. "Okay," she mumbled. "Yeah, we slept well," she addded absentmindedly.

Olivia chuckled. "You're so cute when you're sleepy. Most people are cranky in the morning, but you, well, you're just adorable. It's one of the many things I love about you."

"I love you too," Casey murmured as a sudden yawn snuck up on her. The attorney laid back down, burying her head in Olivia's pillow and looking up at the older woman. "Come back to bed," she requested. "We're not in New York. You don't have to worry about being called out of bed at all hours until we return. Until then, give your body the sleep it has missed in the last twenty years."

Olivia smiled and knelt down beside her, brushing a stray red curl out of Casey's eyes. "Casey, I have to make sure everything is in place for today. Besides, I need to go get us some breakfast from the cafe down the street. I should be back in a half hour or so. Until then, I want you to rest. I better not see your sexy self out of bed until I get back. Got it?"

The firm note in the detective's voice never failed to turn Casey on. After unsuccessfully attempting to formulate a valid argument, she sighed and nodded. "Got it, butchie," she mumbled.

Olivia smiled. Casey knew the detective loved it when she referred to her as her personal butch, and her queen. "Alright. I'll be back soon, baby." Kissing Casey one more time, she grabbed her wallet off of the nightstand. Casey realized for the first time that the older woman was already dressed, and she watched as Olivia slipped her wallet into the pocket of her slacks. And as the brunette exited the hotel room, Casey settled back against the pillows, falling peacefully asleep once more.

Forty five minutes later, Casey was staring blankly at the myriad of food in front of her. Olivia had set up a tray beside the bed, and mandated Casey to eat in bed, and to relax. However, Casey was shocked at the amount of food in front of her. Crepes, croissants, and various flavors of spread stared back at her. Toast, eggs, and special coffee rested on the tray, among a large assortment of other foods. "Are you trying to make me gain twenty pounds in one day?" the redhead asked.

Olivia grinned, and began preparing a plate for her. "I already have that all planned out, my dear. I will feed you, then, to burn the fat, I will make passionate love to you. You know what they say. An hour of sex burns one hundred and fifty calories. If we make love all day, you'll burn many pounds."

"Leave it to you to research sex as a fat burning outlet," Casey replied, rolling her eyes.  
>"Guilty," Olivia responded, winking seductively. "I got all of your favorites. Belgian waffles, eggs with black truffles, and..." The detective trailed off, making Casey wonder if it was possible to die of curiosity. Finally, Olivia put her out of her misery by adding "Chocolat chaud."<p>

"Aww, babe, you even pronounced it right. Now let's see if you know what that translates to."

Olivia paused from smearing peanut butter on one of the waffles. "Case, you know I don't speak French," she replied. Seeing the anticipating look on Casey's face, she sighed and took a guess. "Let me see...chocolat chaud...cold coffee?"

Casey couldn't help but dissolve into giggles. Seeing the look Olivia gave her, she kissed her in apology. "No, babe. Chocolat chaud literally means hot chocolate. Besides, look at it. Does that look like cold coffee? Especially since there is steam rising from it?"

"I told you my French was rusty!" Olivia protested. "I hope you know that you will be severely punished for mocking an officer of the law," she added as she finished preparing Casey's plate and handed it to her. "That's illegal you know."

Casey shook her head. "I'm invoking my constitutional right of free speech, which also covers freedom of the press, religion, assembly, and the ability to petition to the government."

"And the freedom to moan my name in ecstasy when I'm done with you," Olivia added. It was not a question, but a promise, and Casey knew there was no way to get out of it. Not that she would ever want to do so.

"Yeah, but that falls under freedom of speech. See, it uses the vocal cords, so the court recognizes it as speech."

Olivia rolled her eyes and finished preparing her own plate of food, which was heaping with everything on the menu. "Okay, smart ass," she replied, taking her seat beside Casey on the bed. Casey had no sooner taken a tiny sip of her hot chocolate when the detective reached over and began tickling her.

Casey shrieked, barely managing to swallow, rather than spew her drink all over the place. "What the hell?" she cried out. Seeing the alpha gleam in Olivia's eyes, the redhead leaned over and bit her as hard as she could, sinking her teeth into the older woman's neck. Olivia immediately let out a low groan. Casey purred, pulling back. "I can play at that game too," she murmured, before happily dipping her crepe in chocolate syrup and taking a dainty bite.

An hour later, breakfast was finished and Olivia had done the dishes. Their hotel room was like a mini apartment, having its own kitchenette, bathroom, and of course, bedroom. They finished eating together and Casey brushed her teeth three times, until the syrupy taste in her mouth was gone. Once she had rinsed her mouth, she looked in the mirror just in time to see Olivia standing behind her.

"Hey, beautiful," Olivia whispered, turning her around and pinning her to the counter, kissing her passionately. "Have I ever told you just how much I love you?"

Casey let out a quiet moan in response. "I never tire of hearing it," she purred.

"No?" Olivia asked. "Let's see. I love you more than the sun loves light. I love you more than the fish love the sea. I love you more than anything in the world, Casey. And I will never let you forget that."

"I love you more than I have ever loved anyone," Casey murmured. "No one has ever made me feel safer or more loved than you. I know when I'm with you that I can be myself, and that no matter what, nothing will ever tear us apart."

Olivia smiled softly and cupped Casey's face in her hands, lifting her chin so that their eyes locked. "You are my princess. And I will never stop loving you." As she finished speaking, the detective brushed her fingertips across Casey's thighs. The younger woman was covered in nothing more than the top sheet from the bed. She had fallen asleep completely naked, after hours of making passionate love. As Olivia's fingers wandered up Casey's thighs, she gently pushed the sheet up.

Casey watched, feeling her heart pound in her chest as the older woman's fingers moved closer and closer to their desired target. The attorney let out a moan, her breath catching in her throat as Olivia continued to push the sheet up. Olivia brushed her fingertips between Casey's legs, and her right thumb began to gently massage Casey's already heard clitoris.

The attorney moaned as soon as Olivia touched her, throwing her head back. There was no way to deny how incredibly turned on she had already become, thanks to the older woman's torturously slow assault of her body. "Olivia," she begged, knowing she wouldn't last long. She was already far too worked up for that.

Understanding the soft plea, Olivia slowly penetrated her, first with two fingers, then three. Casey continued to moan, wrapping her legs around the detective's waist. She braced herself by gripping the countertop, feeling the incredible pleasure take hold of every inch of her body, destroying any rational thought in her mind. And when she came moments later, and Olivia kissed her passionately in an effort to silence her screams, Casey wrapped her arms around her wife's neck, biting her ever so gently. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too, sweetheart," Olivia murmured, kissing Casey once more. "What do you say we take a steamy shower together and get ready for the special surprise I have planned for the day? I'm not saying what the surprise is, but it does involve a special landmark here in The City of Love."

Casey resisted the urge to ask what the surprise was, because she knew no amount of guessing or pleading would convince Olivia to reveal it. So, as her breathing slowly returned to normal after her orgasm, she nodded. "Sounds perfect," she murmured.

Olivia nodded and walked over to the shower, turning the water on to Casey's ideal temperature. Walking over to the counter, she helped Casey down and smiled. "It's ready. Come," she instructed.  
>"Oh, please don't say come," Casey groaned. After a few seconds of standing, she managed to stabilize herself and follow Olivia. Olivia untangled the redhead from the sheet covering her naked body, before she, too, stripped. As Olivia helped her into the shower, before she, too, stepped in and closed the curtain, Casey smiled. "This is only the first day on this trip, and already, it is one of the best days of my life. Of course, that would be because I'm with the woman I love with all my heart."<p>

Olivia smiled. "I'm glad, Case. All I want is for you to be happy, and if that's the case, then I have fulfilled my dream."

Casey returned the smile with one of her own, but before she could respond, another yawn escaped her. "It would be better if I could actually wake up," she complained.

"Well, it's a good thing jet lag does not seem to affect you for long, judging by our honeymoon. Now come here," Olivia ordered, pulling Casey close and kissing her passionately. Meanwhile, she lathered a washcloth with a bottle of Casey's favorite body wash, which she had bought on her way back from the cafe. She had been surprise to find it there, but had realized it wasn't all that odd, as Casey usually had it imported from Paris. Kissing Casey once more, Olivia began to wash Casey's body, gently and lovingly. Casey's body fell under the spell of Olivia's touch, and all she knew then was that she never wanted this moment to end.

_Author's note: Well, what did you guys think? Please review, letting me know what you thought of this chapter, and the trip in general. Reviews equal updates. Thanks for reading. It means so much to me as an author. Knowing what people think is an incredible thing. _


	38. Love in the Air

Casey loved this time of year. The beautiful changing of the leaves, the crisp, cold air, and the frequent rain were all things the redhead found solace in. Paris was no different. After they showered together, Casey took her time getting dressed, as she always did. She playfully insisted on privacy, and even locked Olivia out of the bathroom. The goal was to tease her, which was Casey's specialty.

As she dried off, Casey dressed in a lace bra and pantie set. Then, she dressed in the Ali Ro belted ruffle dress she had bought a week before. Completing the look with a pair of black suede heels from Brian Atwood, Casey made sure nothing was bunched or riding up. The attorney finished her make-up, deciding to allow her natural curls to frame her shoulders. Dusting her pale skin with a hint of her favorite body glitter, Casey smiled softly at her reflection and opened the bathroom door. "How do I look?" she asked, striking a pose.

Olivia, who had been dressed within fifteen minutes, stood up from the bed and walked over to her. "Oh la la, baby girl. You look...how do the French say amazing?"

Casey giggled, her pale skin flushing to match her crimson locks. "Well, you could say c'est magnifique. Of course, oh la la works too." The redhead looked into Olivia's beautiful chocolate brown eyes and smiled at the woman she loved with all her heart. "You look very hot, babe," the attorney observed, noting Olivia's black slacks and red blouse, which was barely peeking out from underneath the detective's signature black blazer. She couldn't help but notice how much the outfit emphasized the older woman's naturally large chest. "Now will you tell me where we are going?" Casey asked hopefully, wondering if she could catch Olivia off guard and get a confession out of her.

Sadly, Olivia was too smart for this attempt. The detective smiled and replied "Sorry, sweetheart. You are just going to have to wait to find out. As sexy as you look, and as adorable as you batting your eyelashes is, you cannot coerce a confession out of me. I promise you will enjoy the surprise." Having proved her point, Olivia walked over to the coat rack in the corner of the room and retrieved Casey's favorite Steve Madden coat. Helping the younger woman into it, she watched as Casey tied it, and smiled. "I can honestly say I am married to the most beautiful woman in the world," Olivia remarked.

Casey shook her head. "You know, if this is what it takes to get you to be so romantic...we have got to get away from the city more often." Of course, she knew part of the reason behind their inability to be constantly affectionate in public, and the necessity to be on guard, was due to two large reasons: the fact that they were lesbians in a largely homophobic world, and the fact that they had to be mindful of their careers and their marriage at the same time. The latter was a rather difficult feat at times. Casey found herself depressed on occasion, especially when a man and a woman would walk down the street holding hands, or be happily groping each other in an elevator. Sometimes she could not help but wish she and Olivia could demonstrate that degree of careless, unrestrained on an entirely different continent was a sort of relief, in and of itself. That, however, was something the young attorney had little desire to dwell on, as she wanted to enjoy their public displays of affection while they lasted. And, while she had not forgotten about her father's betrayal, the trip had done much to ease her depression, and it felt safe to be happy, for the first time in months.

"Casey?" Olivia asked. Casey pulled out of her thoughts, startled. When she saw the look Olivia was giving her, she realized she had completely blanked out, and immediately apologized. Olivia smiled. "Come on, beautiful. We have a date to keep."

As the detective held out her hand, Casey smiled and took it, intertwining their fingers. Her love for the older woman once more consumed her, making her heart swell like a balloon. Hand in hand, the happy couple exited the hotel room, setting out for their special day.

"Okay, close your eyes. And do not open." Olivia's firm order came from behind her, and Casey, though reluctantly, and with a pout, obeyed. Feeling the detective's hands over her eyes, Casey gently squeezed her wife's hand, and stepped carefully as Olivia led her out of the car and walked her blindly forward. "Okay. Open," Olivia said suddenly.

Casey had kept her head resting on the older woman's shoulder on the car ride here, as the detective had booked a special limo. Olivia had been very insistent about refusing to allow her to look out the window, and without knowing where they were going, Casey wondered if it was possible to go truly insane. Just when she thought she would lose it, the brunette had instructed her to close her eyes once more. Now, having reached their destination, Casey looked up at the monument in front of her.

It would be inaccurate to say the attorney had never seen the wonder that was the Eiffel Tower. In fact, she had been to Paris several times in her life, for various reasons: her father's military relocations, her family's numerous vacations, etc. But this was different. This was with her wife, the woman she loved with all her heart. The difference in occasion seemed to distort the view of the enormous monument, making it appear larger, and more special. And without warning, Casey felt the tears spring to her eyes. Of course, it did not help that she was extremely sensitive on the best of days. Wrapping her arms around Olivia's neck, she kissed her passionately, before pulling back and gazing into the older woman's beautiful chocolate brown eyes. "Olivia, it's perfect," she murmured. "It's-" The redhead surveyed the crowd mulling around the outside of the tower, and then the object itself, which seemed to penetrate the very sky. "I can't think of a better place to be together."

"There's more, honey," Olivia said, smiling. "But you are going to have to wait and see. Come, and I'll show you." Taking Casey's hand once more, Olivia kissed her, then led her to the South pillar. Once they were in the elevator, Casey felt her heart beat a thousand beats per second, as if it were trying to escape her chest.

Finally, they reached their destination, one hundred and twenty five meters up. Casey soon discovered that Olivia had booked them reservations at Le Jules Verne, a restaurant on the second floor. The gesture had a multitude of incredible sentimentality behind it. First of all, it was one of the most romantic restaurants in the world. Furthermore, it was the very restaurant Casey had once spoken to Olivia about, more than six years before, and the fact that the brunette remembered that it was her favorite restaurant was amazing to the redhead. Olivia signed them in and they were led to their table, and Casey smiled as Olivia pulled out her chair for her. Once Casey was seated, the detective took her own seat across from her. "Do you like your surprise?" Olivia asked.

Casey nodded mutely, still too stunned to speak. She had always known Olivia loved her, but this was too much to handle all at once. And a large part of the attorney felt guilty, as if she hadn't done enough to show her love in turn. It was not about the material things, but Casey was determined to prove how much she loved the older woman. That thought in mind, Casey mentally vowed that she was going to give Olivia an extra steamy evening, with a horny lawyer as the main course.

Forty five minutes later, the couple was served their dinner. Casey had ordered a tuna nicoise, one of her favorite salads. For her main dish, she had opted for roasted lemon rosemary chicken. Her drink of choice was chateau de boursault. Olivia, on the other hand, had skipped the salad, as she usually did. Instead, she ordered two main courses: ratatouille and coq au vin. The latter option was at Casey's insistence, as she knew the brunette would love it. And, for a drink, Olivia had opted for billecart-salmon. Once their food was served and they were alone once more, Casey looked at Olivia and smiled. "Try the coq au vin, babe. I promise you'll like it."

Olivia nodded and lifted one of her forks, taking a rather large bite of the food in front of her. "This is good," she agreed once she was done chewing, and had swallowed. "What is it?"

"Chicken stewed in wine. It's sort of like beef stew, except with chicken. And as you can see, it comes with a variety of vegetables, among them potatos and carrots. Personally, I hate Americanized coq au vin...it is often badly botched, especially when ordered at knock off French restaurants." Casey smiled and took a sip of her drink, which was the perfect shade of pink. Playfully, she nudged Olivia's foot under the table, and feigned innocence by gazing out the window at the structure of the tower's frame. However, Olivia's response sent a shiver throughout the redhead, as the detective ever so gently nudged her back. It was gentle, but the firmness in it was not missed on Casey. She turned her head once more, and she and Olivia shared a soft smile before finishing their meals.

Dinner was full of aimless small talk, plus other more important conversations: some romantic, some concerning their baby, and even a discussion about Casey's father, as being across the ocean pulled Casey out of her funk, but it did not get rid of the problem, by any means. Then, after dinner, Olivia paid and took Casey to the top of the tower, where they shared a passionate kiss. Casey snuggled in Olivia's arms as they gazed down at the city of love before them, which twinkled with beautiful lights, the perfect contrast against the pitch black sky.

It was now after ten thirty. As it was after September first, the hours had switched to nine thirty AM to eleven PM. Casey had translated the information pamphlet for Olivia, who spoke minimal French. If they had been in Spain, Casey would have needed Olivia's help, as then she would have been the one needing language assistance. The cold was beginning to turn nippy, and the couple rode the elevator to the ground floor. Instead of immediately returning to the hotel, however, the two women decided to take a walk down the Quai Branly, the closest street to the Eiffel Tower. The walk was peaceful, and romantic, and Casey loved the smell of fresh air, something New York City locked. This was particularly true about Manhattan, of course. As they continued to walk, they chatted, and Casey had never been happier. It was near one in the morning when they returned to the hotel. Olivia led Casey inside and kissed her passionately, closing the door behind her. "Go lay down, beautiful," she whispered.

Casey did as she was told, propping herself up in bed. As Olivia came over and sat down beside her, Casey seized her opportunity, and without warning, pounced on the detective, kissing her as hard as she could. "I call top," she purred. It was time to show the older woman just how much she loved her.

_Author's note: I would like to give credit to my writing, and say that these are not random French locations or food, or language. My mom's family is French, and I grew up with my grandma, who speaks French fluently. She also taught me much culture and locations around France. So I am not a fraud, I promise. Anyway, I do have a sort of review question. Who knows what Olivia and Samantha have in common? You need to know to read the upcoming chapters. Hint: think back to Chance and Casey. Now think about Olivia's childhood. Trust me, this is a very important connection to know for the next few pieces of the story. Also, thanks for reading, and as always, please review. _


	39. A New Position

Olivia smiled as Casey pounced on her. "Hello there, beautiful," the detective murmured, pulling the younger woman closer, kissing her deeply. As Casey let out a little whimper, Olivia gently bit her, a display of dominance despite the fact that the attorney had claimed the top position. "My princess," Olivia whispered, brushing a stray red curl out of Casey's emerald eyes.

Moaning softly, Casey pulled back, gazing into the older woman's eyes. "Watch me," she murmured. Once she was satisfied that Olivia's eyes were on her, she smirked and began undressing. First, she kicked off her heels, placing them neatly on the floor beside the bed. Next, she unzipped her dress, slowly and seductively, her gaze never leaving Olivia's face. The older woman was watching her, riveted, and Casey felt a surge of arousal course through her. Once her dress was off, Casey allowed it to fall to the floor, an act that was highly out of character for the extremely anal attorney.

Reaching behind her, Casey unbuckled her bra and, with one finger, slipped out of her panties. She watched Olivia's eyes widen, her excitement growing when Olivia's animalistic groan reached her ears. "I've been such a bad girl," Casey purred. Now that she was fully naked, she proceeded to unbutton Olivia's slacks. She was still taking her time, enjoying seducing her wife. It was not often that Olivia actually allowed her to be on top, and Casey strove to milk every moment of this rare position.

Once Olivia's slacks were off, Casey tossed them off of the bed. Next went the older woman's boxers, blazer, and blouse. Finally, when Olivia's bra, too, reached the floor, Casey pulled back to admire her wife's body. For a woman pushing fifty, Olivia's body was still incredible, and it drove Casey insane with desire. "I love you," she whispered, before pressing her lips to Olivia's in a passionate kiss. Rather than responding, Olivia grabbed Casey's hair and pulled her down hard on top of her, deepening the kiss. Casey purred softly against her. "Mmmmm," she murmured.

As they continued to kiss, Casey's hands began to wander. She raked her nails up Olivia's legs, then back down, eliciting a low groan from the detective. For what seemed the hundredth time, Casey felt her arousal spike, her heart leaping into her throat as the butterflies within her stomach began to swarm. "Casey," Olivia moaned. Casey gently broke the kiss to gaze into those beautiful chocolate brown eyes. Before she could respond, Olivia pulled her back in, kissing her more roughly than before.

As her nails reached Olivia's thighs, Casey dug them into the older woman's tanned skin as hard as she could. "I will be your mistress forevermore," she murmured, breaking the kiss again. "It is my duty to pleasure my master, in every way possible. I am bound to serve and obey." As Casey spoke, she kissed Olivia once more, before placing a trail of bites down the older woman's neck. Hearing the deep moan that escaped Olivia's lips, Casey wondered if it was possible to go insane simply out of desire. With Olivia's moans encouraging her, the attorney took the brunette's left breast into her mouth, suckling it. Her tongue flicked against Olivia's nipple, and she whimpered as it hardened in her mouth. Then, she switched targets, repeating the process on the older woman's right breast. With both nipples hardened and standing to attention, Casey smirked softly to herself.

"Casey," Olivia moaned. The pleading note to the older woman's voice was not lost to Casey, nor was the slight edge. It was an unspoken request, but, at the same time, an order.

Her nails raking across Olivia's skin once more, Casey bit gently into each of her wife's nipples before crawling down to the edge of the bed. Positioning herself between Olivia's legs, she gazed up at the woman she loved, and smiled as their eyes locked. Gently, she kissed the detective's inner thighs. "Hmmmm," the attorney murmured thoughtfully as her fingers wandered closer and closer to their target. When she felt how wet Olivia already was, she whimpered, every rational thought immediately erased from the redhead's mind. "You're so wet," she purred. "You don't even need me." With a playful pout, Casey started to pull back, but her efforts were thwarted when Olivia grabbed onto her hair and pulled her to her once more.

"Do you want something?" Casey purred, gazing up into Olivia's eyes. She laid her head on the brunette's stomach, batting her eyes seductively as they locked gazes.

"Casey," Olivia whispered breathlessly. "You know what I want, baby."

Of course Casey knew full well what her wife wanted. And under normal circumstances, she would have happily obeyed. It may have been the Paris air, but the attorney had been feeling quite rebellious, and this was the perfect time to display it. Besides, being naughty and disobeying Olivia was one of the many things that made their sex life so incredible. It was with that thought in mind that Casey merely smiled and replied "I'm afraid I don't, Detective."

"Casey," Olivia groaned, arching her hips restlessly off of the bed. "Please, baby."

"Please what?" Casey asked, refusing to back down until the older woman explicitly admitted what she wanted from her.

Olivia gripped Casey's long red curls and looked into her emerald eyes. "Fuck me, baby," she pleaded.

If Casey hadn't been insane with desire before, she certainly was now. Hearing the tone to the older woman's voice, the words themselves, Casey obeyed. Once more, she moved to the foot of the bed and positioned herself between the detective's legs. Her fingernails raked against her wife's skin, and ever so slowly, Casey gently took Olivia's clitoris into her mouth. Hearing the moan that escaped Olivia's lips, Casey felt her heart beat so quickly that she wondered if it was attempting to escape her chest.

At first, her tongue flicked lazily against Olivia's clit. But as she continued, her own arousal peaked, and it was a combination of her arousal, Olivia's groans, and the feel of the older woman's fingers in her hair that made her much friskier. Purring, Casey gently bit the brunette's clit, her head spinning at the amazing sounds Olivia was making. Of course they had had sex, many times before. But there was something different about this time, something Casey was unable to put her finger on. All she knew was that this was the best time they had ever spent together, and she never wanted it to end.

Her tongue began to move in slow, easy circles against Olivia's clitors, until gradually gaining momentum. She alternated between biting, sucking, and licking, and when she realized how much wetter Olivia had gotten, she moaned, knowing the detective was close to the edge. Gently, Casey penetrated her with two fingers, quickly adding a third. While her fingers worked inside of the brunette, Casey continued to perform oral sex on her. Olivia groaned beneath her, and when Casey bit down one last time on her clitoris, the detective let out a scream that could only be described as animalistic. As Olivia came in her mouth, Casey moaned loudly, her emerald eyes fluttering closed. Once she had cleaned up her mess and swallowed, she crawled up to the head of the bed and curled up at her wife's side.

Olivia, still breathing heavily, wrapped her arms around the younger woman, smiling as Casey laid her head on her chest. "You know, baby, nothing gives me more pleasure than making love to you. I have always found it incredibly hot that you are so submissive. But that was...that was so out of character for you. But it was amazing, in every possible way."

Casey blushed deeply, her porecelain cheeks reddening to match her crimson curls. "I love you," she murmured, allowing her eyes to flutter closed for a moment as she reveled in their incredible love for each other.

Olivia chuckled. "That's adorable. You think you're getting off that easily. Nice try, sweetie." Without warning, the brunette had Casey pinned to the bed. She leaned down and kissed the redhead passionately. Taking Casey's hands, Olivia pinned them above her head and gazed into her eyes. "You're so beautiful," she whispered, her voice a husky sigh. She cupped Casey's face in her hand and smiled. "I'll tell you what. Why don't we watch a movie together, and relax for a bit? Then we can spend all night making passionate love. I promise to punish you in ways you never dreamed."

Casey fought back a moan, knowing Olivia's words were fully a promise, not a threat. "That sounds great," she replied. "But I want to call Melinda first." Smiling, the redhead reached over to the nightstand on her side of the bed, retrieving her cell phone. Pressing speed dial number five, she placed the call on speakerphone and snuggled close to Olivia. As Melinda's answering machine message played, Casey waited for the beep, then spoke. "Melinda, it's Casey. I was just calling to check in on Samantha. If you could call and let us know how our daughter is doing, we would really appreciate it. Thank you again for agreeing to watch her. I hope everything is going well." After hanging up, Casey sighed and looked at Olivia. She smiled as the older woman kissed her. "We have a movie to watch and some amazing sex to have," she whispered with a wink.

_Author's note: Well everyone? What did you think? There are some major twists coming, but for now..love is in the air. I'd love to know what everyone thinks, so please review and let me know. =)_


	40. Expanding the Family

_URGENT Author's note: I have put a lot of thought into how I'm going to do the sequel. But before I explain the formatting of that, I have one other thing to explain. This, chapter forty, will be the last chapter of this section. Yes, I said section, not story. See, I've had experience writing sequels before. People have a penchant for ignoring the "sequel" part of the summary, and then I receive "Oh my god, what's going on, I'm so confused" messages. I decided, after much thought, what I am going to do. Yes,this story will still have a sequel. However, here is how it will work. Chapter forty one of this story will be chapter one of the sequel. In other words, the sequel and the original will be in the same story, if that makes sense. Don't worry, I'll explain more in the first chapter of the next story, I promise. Anyway, for now, I just want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed. I really hope everyone will continue reading, because I promise to keep the sequel just as fresh and exciting. Without further ado, off to chapter forty. This note turned out much longer than I intended..sorry about that ;). _

"Casey?"  
>Casey looked up, the spoon she was holding pausing at Samantha's lips. "What?" she called out,. She looked at Samantha and smiled, feeding her daughter the next bite of baby food. To Olivia, she added "I'm in the kitchen. Do we have to keep shouting across the house?"<br>"Sorry," Olivia called back. Casey growled softly. Moments later, the detective appeared in the entrance to the kitchen. She paused when she saw Casey feeding and cooing to their baby. "Mommy and baby. What a beautiful site," Olivia murmured approvingly.

Casey blushed, dipping the plastic coated spoon into the jar of baby food resting at the edge of the high chair. "Open, honey," she cooed, smiling as Samantha obediently opened her mouth. She giggled happily as Casey fed her yet another bite. Casey looked up at Olivia, grateful that her back was not turned to the entrance. As Olivia walked over to them and tossed her keys onto the table, then took her seat beside the high chair, Casey smiled. "How was work?" she asked.

"Don't even get me started," Olivia answered, almost immediately. The brunette reached down and began untying her shoes. Once she was finished, she slipped out of them and groaned, allowing her black sock covered feet to touch the ground.

"That bad?" Casey asked, wiping a tiny dribble of food from Samantha's cheek.

Olivia shrugged, folding her hands between her knees. "If by bad you mean stressful as all hell, then yes. Ken came down to the squad today, asking his father for money. Amanda and I were the only two who did not go out for lunch. I had a DD5 to type up, although I am not quite sure of her excuse. But we talked for a bit, just the two of us. I learned a lot more about her background, and her life as a cop prior to being assigned to SVU. After lunch was when everything rolled downhill. Three women came in, arguing with a fourth, who had shown up at their party and accused one of their boyfriends of raping her. When we brought him in for questioning, he admitted to sleeping with all of them. It was all we could do to prevent a cat fight from breaking out in the interview room. But it's the fourth victim that worries me."

Casey listened thoughtfully, focusing on Olivia's words while simultaneously feeding the baby. "No one is more vicious than a woman when it comes to the one they love," the redhead murmured, adjusting Samantha's bib . "Is the victim okay?"

"I don't know," Olivia responded. "She ran out when the other women started calling each other bitches and sluts. I have to say, I felt as if I was in high school all over again. Fin took Amanda and followed her, and I haven't heard anything since. If they call though, I have to go back in."

Casey nodded. "I know," she replied. "Well." She scraped the last remaining bit of food from the glass jar and fed it to Samantha, who squirmed in her chair. Casey placed the jar on the lid and set the now empty container on the corner of the high chair. Lifting Samantha out of the high chair, Casey gently adjusted her in her lap and smiled, kissing the top of her daughter's head. The tiniest hint of dark red tufts were beginning to grow there, and Casey could not help but feel proud.

A few months had passed since they had returned from Paris. Samantha was six months old, and already able to sit up by herself. Casey and Olivia were extremely proud of their little princess. The redhead had become lost in her thoughts when Olivia suddenly announced "I'll be right back."

As she stood up, Casey looked up. "Shoes and keys," she answered, gesturing to the objects in question. "I just don't want one of us to trip," she added, smiling.

"Of course." Olivia returned the smile and kissed her gently, then Samantha. Grabbing her shoes and retrieving her keys from the table, the detective exited the kitchen, slipping the keys onto the hook as she passed it.

Casey looked at Samantha and smiled, noting how similar her daughter looked to herself: creamy complexion, dark red hair, and emerald green eyes. But there was one key difference. Samantha did not have her smile. It was a smile that had haunted her for many a sleepless night. It was Charlie's smile. As that thought crossed her mind, the attorney paused, wondering where that had come from. It was Chance's smile...or was it Charlie's? Suddenly, Casey's mind was murky, no thought understandable. She could not understand where the thought of Charlie had come from, or why her brain was suddenly this foggy, but all she knew was that it was definitely the Fitzgerald smile she saw staring back at her.

"Come on sweetie, let's get you feeling better," Casey murmured, holding Samantha in her arms and preparing to burp her. Thoughts of what had happened between her and Charlie, and her and Chance, had been haunting the young attorney for days, both in her waking and sleeping worlds. Every time she looked at her daughter, she swore she noticed something new, something else that was similar between the baby and her father.

"I'm back." This time, Casey did not turn around. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Olivia pull her chair closer and sit down beside them. "Casey, honey, are you okay?"

Casey jumped. She had known the detective was there, but it had failed to register. "Hmmm?" she asked. Then, recollecting her thoughts, she replied "Yeah. I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"About?" Olivia asked. The concern in the older woman's voice was almost tangible.

Casey shrugged. "Everything," she improvised. "How incredible our marriage is...how happy our family is...how excited I am about those things in general. How hot last night was...I don't know, babe, there's a lot to be happy about, and just as much to contemplate."

Olivia nodded, but gently lifted the attorney's chin so that Casey's emerald green eyes were locked with her own chocolate brown. "Those thoughts run through my mind constantly, Case. However, I know you, and I know that something else is bothering you. I can see it in your eyes."

"I'm okay," Casey tried to respond. She faltered. "I've just been noticing new things about the baby," she admitted. "I mean, look at her. Her fingers are very slender, like mine, but they curve like his. And she has my lips but her smile is...it's his, in every possible way." The redhead sighed and gently squeezed Samantha's hand to reassure her, as she knew her daughter was extremely sensitive to her mothers' moods. "She reminds me of him...and I love her, with all my heart, but at the same time, I cannot stop thinking about him."

Olivia wrapped her arms around Casey, and Casey had only a split second to be grateful that she was done burping the baby. "That's understandable, honey. We knew that would come up at some point. But I want you to listen to me: I am here for you no matter what, and you know that I will come running to your side. All you have to do is call my name and I'll be there for you."

"I know," Casey sniffled, biting back a sudden flood of tears. "I understand why I'm being reminded of Chance. But why Charlie?" Seeing the confused look on Olivia's face, Casey took a deep breath and began to explain. "I was looking at Samantha's lips a few moments ago, right before you entered. She smiled, and I immediately thought of how much she looked like Charlie. What the hell is wrong with me, Olivia?"

"Nothing, sweetie," Olivia assured her, placing a gentle kiss on the back of the attorney's neck. She ran her fingers through Casey's long red curls and smiled, holding her tightly. "You thought of Chance, which is perfectly normal. No one can blame you for thinking of Charlie by extension. After all, he was Chance's identical twin. Think of one and you automatically think of the other."

Casey shook her head. "I guess that makes sense. Thanks, babe. You always know what to say," she murmured, though she was still quite perturbed. Sensing the stress, Samantha began to cry. Casey held onto her tightly, rocking her. "It's okay, sweetheart," the attorney cooed, bouncing her daughter in her lap. It always calmed her down, and this was no exception. Within a few moments, Samantha happy tugged on Casey's hair. Casey smiled, kissing the top of her head. "Well, hi there, princess. What are you doing? That's Mommy's hair." That earned a harder tugging. Casey couldn't help but smile, and she looked at Olivia. "I swear she understands everything we're saying."

"You never know. With a mother as smart as you, I wouldn't put it past her," Olivia replied, kissing her softly. She checked the time on her watch and smiled. "It's a quarter past six. What do you want for dinner?"

Casey paused, thinking for a moment. "Well, I was thinking about making some fettucini alfredo. It's pasta night, after all."

Olivia smiled and kissed her. "How about we do that next week? I'm going to order us some Chinese. Do you want chicken chow mein or beef?" she asked.

"Chicken," Casey answered automatically. She loved both, but she was in a chicken mood tonight. And she had to admit, chow mein sounded very yummy, especially since, were she to admit it, she was too exhausted to cook.

Olivia nodded and retrieved her cell phone from her pocket. It was then that Casey decided to break the news she herself had only recently discovered. "Olivia, before you order," the redhead began. "I have something to tell you..."

"What would that be, Casey?" Olivia asked, smiling as her thumb hovered over the dial button.

Casey bit her lip thoughtfully. She had been planning to break the news over dinner, but since there was to be no dinner, Casey looked down at Samantha, then up at Olivia. "The doctor called earlier. You were at work, and I was going to tell you tonight, but I think this is the best moment, since the air is already romantic and loving. Olivia..." She trailed off, biting her bottom lip thoughtfully, choosing her next words carefully. "Olivia, the insemination took. I'm pregnant."

_Author's note: Review please! I want to know what everyone thinks of this chapter. As always, thanks for reading. I truly love the feedback this story has received, and I look forward to hearing the thoughts everyone has as it continues to blossom. _


	41. Another Day-Chapter 1-Samantha's Big Day

_Author's note: Okay, everyone. I'm going to try explain what I'm doing without confusing anyone. I may even confuse myself in the process, but here goes. This chapter will show as chapter forty one of Stay With Me, but it is actually chapter one of the sequel. See, one of my stories has a sequel, and I can't tell you how many people have emailed me saying "What's going on?" Why? Because they fail to read the summary and realize reading the original is actually quite important. So, I've decided to combine the sequel and the original. Without further ado, I present chapter one of the sequel to "Stay With Me", entitled "Another Day". As always, thanks for reading, and please review._

"I think I'm losing my mind," Casey moaned, crossing margarine off of the ingredient list as she added it to the giant bowl in front of her.

"Losing?" Olivia asked, turning the page of the morning paper. The detective smirked. "I believe you meant to say that you lost your mind a long time ago."

Casey shot her a playful glare. It was late in the afternoon, and she was exhausted from baking all day, but she was not going to give her wife the upper hand that easily. "That may be true, Detective, but I think I can trace the loss of my senses to the day I married you. Wouldn't you agree?" She paused for a moment, noticing the way in which the older woman was seated at the head of the table. "Are you trying to scuff the table?" the redhead asked. "If you're going to put your feet somewhere, put them on the chair, at least. I just dusted."

Olivia shook her head, lowering her feet to the floor and straightening from the slouch she had been relaxing in for the past half hour. "I do apologize, sweetheart. I would never want to offend your lovely dusting job." Emphasizing her point, the brunette brushed her fingertips across the enormous oak table. Then she examined them. "See? They are clean. I did no harm."  
>"You can still scuff it!" Casey replied. Anyone who knew her knew that she was extremely anal about keeping everything impeccably neat and tidy. She reached for an egg and cracked it over the bowl, tossing the shell into the trash can. She repeated the process three more times.<p>

Olivia folded the paper and placed it on the table, then stood and walked over to Casey. Wrapping her arms around the redhead from behind, she kissed the back of the younger woman's neck. "You're so beautiful," she whispered, her hands traveling down, until they came to rest upon Casey's slightly swollen stomach. "What time is your appointment on Monday?"

"Nine," Casey murmured, feeling her heart skip a beat in response to the older woman's touch. "I just can't believe the baby is due in twenty six weeks. There is so much to do and so little time to do it. And we still have to decide whether we're going to have a separate nursery for Samantha and the new baby or if they are going to share one."

Olivia nodded, kissing the back of her neck again. It was all Casey could do to avoid dropping the wooden spoon she was using to stir with. "What do you think we should do?" the detective asked.

Casey thought for a moment, though of course she had spent countless hours pondering the subject already. "I think we should have two nurseries. And I say that for several reasons. First of all, it is to be on the safe side in case Samantha decides she does not like her baby sister or brother. Above that, though, I worry that if they are in the same nursery, their cries will keep each other up all night, and us. We can use the guest bedroom next to our room for Samantha, and the nursery we built in the closet for Samantha for the new baby."

"I agree," Olivia replied. "Do you want to wait until we know the baby's sex to paint the new nursery, like we did with Samantha? Or do you want to paint it a neutral color, like yellow?"

"Oh, god, please no yellow," Casey groaned. She hated yellow. She reached for the bag of chocolate chips, and poured them into the bowl. "I think we should wait. I mean we'll know in a couple of months, so we can wait. Although, I might die of anticipation before then."

Olivia smiled and walked around her, taking the empty bag of chocolate chips and throwing it away. Now standing to the left of Casey, the brunette smiled and watched the attorney stir the dough. "Well, look at it this way. If you die, you should count your lucky stars that you are married to a cop. I know CPR, and I will gladly revive you. I can't imagine life without my beautiful bride."

Blushing, Casey reached for a spoon and scooped a tiny bit of dough from the bowl. She held it to Olivia's lips and smiled. "Open, babe. I need to know if this is any good."

"When is your cooking not fantastic?" Olivia asked. Smiling, the detective ate the dough she was offered, and groaned in satisfaction. "That is absolutely delicious."

She reached for another bite, but Casey stopped her. "That's enough out of you, Officer. If you want more, you are going to have to wait until tonight, once the party starts."

"Awww, baby, can't I have just one more bite?" Olivia asked playfully.

Casey shook her head. "Nope." As she spoke, a tiny thrill shot through her. She was never the one in control. She never bossed Olivia around. It was merely the fact that Olivia was the alpha, in every sense of the word, and Casey loved to submit herself to her, rather than challenge that. But at that moment, she was actually quite turned on by the playful banter of their conversation. Or maybe it was simply the compliments going to her head. Either way, the attorney loved it.

"I have my ways of convincing you," Olivia murmured. Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed the wooden spoon from Casey and laid it in the bowl. Wrapping her arms around the younger woman's waist, she pinned Casey against the counter, kissing her deeply. "You cannot resist me, sweetheart," she murmured, gently pulling on Casey's long red curls in a demonstration of power.

Casey moaned softly against her, feeling her arousal curl within her. If there was one thing she had learned over the past few years, it was that Olivia's touch melted her into total submission, and that when the detective tortured her, she was never able to avoid giving in to whatever her wife wanted. Knowing that the cookie dough was no longer what Olivia wanted to devour, Casey gently bit her and reluctantly broke the kiss, pulling away. Seeing the confused look flash across Olivia's beautiful chocolate brown eyes, Casey smiled. "Okay, I'll make you a few balls." She turned back to the cookies, then paused, realizing what she had just said. "Oh, Jesus. Olivia, don't you dare go there."

"You're the one who said it, beautiful," Olivia responded, and Casey knew without even looking that the older woman was wearing a satisfied smirk. "How many balls do I get?"

Realizing the brunette was tormenting her, Casey simply shook her head and set to work. She retrieved a cereal bowl from the cabinet and began rolling the dough. Five minutes later, she had prepared ten balls of cookie dough. Dropping them into the bowl, she smiled and handed the bowl to Olivia. "Here, sexy," Casey said, kissing Olivia passionately. "Now let me finish these cookies. We still need to set up for the party."

Olivia carried the bowl over to the table and sat down, taking one of the cookie dough balls out. "I can't believe Samantha is already turning a year old. I feel ancient."

"Me too," Casey answered, stirring the dough one last time to make sure everything was well blended. Satisfied that no white streaks of flour shone through, the redhead smiled and began rolling once more, this time placing the balls on the cookie sheets as she rolled. "You know, I went to the store last night before you got home from work. I found the most adorable cashmere onesie. And it came with a matching hat."

"Why haven't I seen it?" Olivia sounded genuinely depressed.

Casey smiled, turning around to face her wife. "Because the boutique automatically wrapped it. You'll see it at the party, babe. I promise."

Olivia nodded. "It sounds adorable. I know a certain Mommy who has amazing taste."

"I try," Casey replied, smiling. She checked the time and sighed. "We have a little over three hours. I wonder sometimes if it's possible to completely go insane. We still have to give Samantha a bath, get her dressed, finish decorating, and finish the damn baking. Also, did you tell everyone about the no drinking rule?" Casey asked. "This is a party for a baby. I don't want alcohol anywhere in sight, and so help me if anyone turns up drunk...I'm not going to endanger our child like that."

Olivia smiled. "Everything is taken care of, baby. I told everyone they could drink anything non-alcoholic." She, too, checked the time. "Why don't I finish decorating while you finish the cookies? I can decorate while you get everything ready in here, and then we can give Samantha her bath and get her ready for her special day."

Casey thought about her wife's suggestion for a moment, then nodded, realizing it would be the best way to get the most amount done in the little amount of time they had. She also knew that the detective was eager to do whatever she could to help. "Alright. That sounds good. But please don't put two of any color streamers right next to each other. It will look tacky."

"I know, sweetheart. I promise I will be extra careful about my streamer placing," Olivia replied, laughing as she walked over to Casey and kissed her once more. "If you need me, I will be in the living room. Actually, scratch that. I need to get my ladder from the shed first."

Casey smiled. "I'm sure I can find you if I need you." She smiled as Olivia placed the empty bowl in the sink. "Well, at least I know the cookies taste good," the redhead murmured to herself as Olivia opened the back door and stepped outside. She was about to open the oven and slide the first two cookie sheets in when she heard a loud yapping from the living room. "Cocoa, here girl," Casey called.

The barking drew nearer, now accompanied by a scampering of little paws until Cocoa was at her feet. Casey looked down at the puppy and smiled. "Hi there, beautiful." She dropped a tiny piece of cookie dough into the tiny dog's mouth and grinned as her tail wagged so quickly that it was nothing but a blur.

"Olivia, Cocoa wants out," Casey called to the open door. "Go see Momma," she said, smiling at the adorable puppy at her feet. Cocoa, panting heavily, darted towards the door as Olivia appeared in the entrance. A few moments later, the door closed, and Casey was alone. Humming to herself, the redhead finished rolling the cookie dough. And an hour later, when the last sheet was baked, she turned the oven off and set to work arranging the cookies on the special stand she had bought.

Once the baking was finished, Casey stepped back and examined the island, where she had placed everything she had baked. Fourteen flavors of cookies, six cakes, a punch bowl and even a chocolate fountain stared back at her. The attorney smiled. After hours of baking, her hard work filled the redhead with a sense of pride. She smiled and washed her hands, then set to work cleaning the counters and doing the dishes. The hammering from the living room told her that Olivia was hard at work finishing the decorating. The next step was to get the princess ready for her party.


	42. Chapter 2-Party Girl

Casey had always loved parties. While she was extremely shy most of the time, she loved to dance, and she loved to dress up and have a great time. It was, in every sense of the word, the perfect complement to her cool, hardened attorney exterior that consumed her most of the time. As she finished arranging the desserts on the counter, for the tenth time, she walked into the living room and smiled as she watched Olivia hang the last streamer. She surveyed the room quickly and smiled. "You even remembered to avoid placing two of the same color right next to each other," she observed.

Olivia looked down at her. The detective was perched carefully on the top step of the ladder. "Hey, sweetie. Can you hand me the hammer?" she asked. Casey walked over to her and retrieved the hammer from the third step, then held it up. Olivia smiled and took it. "Thank you. Have you decided that the cookies clash with the brownies, and have to rearrange them again?"

Casey stuck her tongue out playfully, and replied "No. That was the last time I'm rearranging everything, I promise." Seeing the disbelieving look on Olivia's face, she smiled reassuringly. "I promise," she said again. She watched as Olivia finished hanging the streamer, and stepped back to allow the older woman to step down. The redhead surveyed the streamers, hung from every inch and crevice of the living room and stairwell. "Beautiful," she murmured. "This will be the best first birthday any baby has ever had."

"I agree," Olivia answered, sliding her hands into her pockets. Casey couldn't help but purr at the sight. The detective's masculine persona never failed to turn her on. "What shall we do next?"

Casey smiled. "We need to give Samantha her bath and get her ready for the party." Smiling, she headed for the stairs, Olivia close behind. Reaching their bedroom, they walked into the nursery. Casey paused when she entered the nursery. Samantha was fast asleep in her crib, clutching her favorite teddy bear. She hated to wake her daughter up, but it was a necessity. Gently, the redhead removed the teddy bear from her daughter's arms, and lifted her out of the crib. Samantha cooed, and Casey knew it would be a matter of moments before she woke up and started to cry. Casey retrieved her daughter's favorite binkie from the table beside the crib, and popped it into her mouth to soothe her.

"My other always told me I was a weird baby," Casey said as they made their way into the master bathroom. Seeing the curious look on Olivia's face, she smiled. "She said most babies hate baths, but that I would play in the water and giggle, having a great time. She always swore I was born part fish." Smiling, she set to work undressing Samantha while Olivia filled one of the two enormous sinks with warm water. "Can you get the bathtub?" she asked, smiling.

Olivia nodded and knelt down in front of the sink. Retrieving the baby bathtub, she stood, and handed to Casey, who set to work arranging it in the sink. "I thought that thing could be used by itself?"

Casey shrugged. "It can, but it's easier to bathe her with it in the sink. Besides, this is how my nurse always washed me when I was a baby." She smiled and looked at Olivia, who was leaning against the counter. She smiled as Olivia kissed her. "I love you."  
>"I love you more than life itself," Olivia responded, kissing her again as Casey checked the temperature of the water. Samantha was still sucking on her binkie, and it was a major relief to her mothers that she, like Casey, seemed to love taking a bath.<p>

A half hour later, once her bath was finished, Casey had dressed her daughter in a dark blue silk dress, and her new shiny black shoes. "Doesn't she look adorable?" Casey asked, holding their daughter up so Olivia could see.

"She looks as beautiful as her mommy," Olivia responded, kissing first Samantha, then Casey. "I love you both with all my heart, and I am incredibly proud to call you two mine."

Casey blushed, feeling her heart swell in her chest. "We are proud to be yours," she replied softly. Once she was finished dressing Samantha, she finished the outfit with the bonnet that had come with the dress. "Alright. I need to get dressed now. Go with Momma, angel," she murmured, kissing Samantha's forehead before handing her to Olivia. Samantha cooed contentedly. Casey paused and surveyed Olivia's outfit. Taking in the black slacks and simple satin blouse, she smiled. "Is that what you're wearing, babe?" she asked.

"I dressed up," Olivia answered, looking down at her own choice of clothing.

Casey nodded. "You look hot," she answered. "Now I need to change." After kissing both her wife and their daughter, the redhead made them leave, and drained the sink before turning the shower water to the hottest temperature she could stand. Humming softly to herself, she untied the front of her lace nightgown and hung it on the towel rack. Stepping into the shower, she set to work preparing for the party.

An hour later, Casey entered the kitchen, smiling when she saw Olivia reading to Samantha at the table. "How do I look?" the attorney asked, striking a pose as she waited for the older woman's response. She had changed into the black dress she had bought a few days before. Lace adorned the cleavage area, hem, and the edges of the long sleeves, and Casey had paired the dress with a pair of simple black pumps.

Olivia looked up, and Casey held back a smirk as the detective's jaw dropped. "Oh, baby. You look amazing. There are forty five minutes left until the party starts...I still have time to let Samantha sleep for that little bit of time, rip that dress off of you and have my way with you."

"God, Olivia, you're such a perv," Casey responded, grinning. She walked over to where the older woman sat at the head of the table and gazed into her beautiful chocolate brown eyes. "You'll have me all to yourself tonight. I promise." She smiled as Olivia kissed her. Samantha cooed from Olivia's arms, and Casey smiled. "Aw, honey." She adjusted her daughter's hat and gently pressed on her nose, which always soothed the adorable infant. "My little angel," she murmured.

Two hours later, Casey was sitting on the love seat beside Olivia in the living room. Their coworkers surrounded them. Amanda occupied one of the recliners, while Fin, Cragen, and Amaro shared one of the sofas. Alex sat beside Munch on the other love seat, while Arthur Branch had claimed the other recliner. Casey smiled. "I would like to say again how grateful we are that you all were able to come. This is a very special day, for all of us. A lot has happened in the past year, and it was with all of your help and support that we were able to overcome everything."

As Casey and Olivia shared a look, the detective nodded and continued. "One of the biggest worries for us in the beginning of our relationship was getting caught. Casey was afraid of losing her job, but she cried every night because we had to be together in secret. Everyone here has known about us for over a year, and the support, as Casey said, has been overwhelmingly helpful, especially given everything that happened last year. Captain," Olivia said, looking at Captain Cragen. "I don't know what I would have done if I wasn't able to confide in you each time something horrible happened."

"I feel the same way, Sir," Casey added, looking at her own boss. "The point here is, all of you came today to celebrate our daughter's birthday, and that and your acceptance of us means the world."

A murmur of congratulations and "You're welcomes" rumbled throughout the room. By the time they were done, Casey and Olivia beamed at their guests.

"Is Samantha ready to open her gifts?" Munch asked, gesturing to the heap of presents in front of the love seat that the happy couple and their baby occupied.

Casey smiled. "Well I don't know." She looked at Samantha and smiled. "Are you ready for your presents, sweetheart?" she asked. In response, Samantha clapped, giggling. Laughter echoed throughout the room.

"Open mine first, Case," Amanda requested, gesturing to a long box wrapped in pink paper.

Casey nodded, smiling. She retrieved the box and placed it in her lap. "Want to open it, sweetie?" she asked as Samantha reached for the box, touching it. She gripped the paper and the tiniest tear opened. Casey watched as the tear grew bigger, until Samantha stopped, confused.

"Mommy," Samantha whispered.

"Okay, honey, I'll help," Casey replied as she reached for the present and finished the unwrapping that her daughter had started. Holding the gift up, she smiled. It was a giant stuffed elephant, and Casey mentally applauded Amanda's wrapping abilities, especially with something of this size and bulk. "Aww, look," she cried. "Amanda, this elephant is adorable," Casey said. "Thank you."

"Elsie!" Samantha cried. Casey smiled, realizing her daughter was attempting to say elephant.

Olivia smiled. "Yes, honey, it's Elsie," she answered. Everyone in the room smiled as Samantha cuddled her new toy.

Next to be opened was the gift from Fin, who had given Samantha a collector's set of all of the Disney fairy tales. It was a surprising gift, from a man, but perfect, as Casey told him. She set it on the table beside the love seat. Samantha was still cuddling her elephant. Alex had bought a silk bedding set for the crib, which Casey had seen at the boutique near their office. Cragen had given the baby a special sippy cup with her initials on it, and the words "I love my godfather." Branch, Samantha's other godfather, had opted for a bottle/binkie/bib set. Amaro had given Samantha a pair of pink booties. Finally, it was time to open Munch's gift. Casey had made him last out of fear of what he might give the baby. She worried that her daughter would be opening anti-government memorabilia or worse. The gift turned out to be a blanket inscribed with the words "Uncle Munch is awesome."

Casey smiled as she placed the blanket on the table, which was now heaping with opened presents. "Wow. I don't know what to say. Everyone brought perfect gifts, and we just want to thank you all. There is a plethora of desserts and drinks in the kitchen, but first, we have some things for our beautiful daughter." Casey nodded at Olivia, who smiled and retrieved the first present, wrapped in princess paper.

Inside was the cashmere onesie Casey had told Olivia about earlier that morning, which Olivia now agreed was adorable. Next to be opened was a tiara, which Casey smiled and placed on the young princess's head. Olivia had bought her three dolls, two stuffed animals, and a bottle and silverware set. Casey had, in addition to the tiara and onesie, bought several outfits, hats, shoes, and special bath and pool toys for her daughter. As each gift was opened, the ever heaping pile grew taller, and Casey hoped the table would hold all of the gifts until they could put everything away.

"Alright, everyone," Casey said once the gift opening was finished. "Who's hungry?"

A murmur of agreement echoed throughout the living room, and Casey smiled. She and Olivia shared a quick kiss before they led their guests into the enormous kitchen. Gesturing to the incredible amounts of food that occupied every counter, Casey smiled. "Enjoy the feast," she announced. Once more, Samantha clapped, and everyone piled into the kitchen, grabbing plates, drinks, and silverware.

Casey stood by Olivia's side, holding their daughter in her arms as she watched the guests. Everyone was happy and it was clear that every guest was enjoying themselves. The party was turning out even better than she imagined, and as Olivia kissed her once more, the beautiful attorney returned the kiss, beaming with the pride of being a wife, mother, and host. Everything was perfect.


	43. Chapter 3-Special

Casey surveyed the kitchen, and let out a slow sigh. Everyone had finished eating, leaving a plethora of dirty dishes behind. The counter, table, and island were all loaded with dirty dishes, from bowls to silverware to cups. Casey shook her head and paused, listening to the laughter from the living room. She had told Olivia she would be out in a bit, and that she had to do dishes first. Olivia had offered to entertain the guests while she worked, after first offering to do the dishes herself. Casey had declined, accepting the first offer, adding that at least one of the hosts should be with their guests, and that she could not stand the mess. Olivia had reluctantly agreed, and ever since, much laughter had been booming throughout the house. Casey smiled, happy that the party was a success.

Turning to the dishes, she set to work, gathering as many items as she could carry at once. Once everything was stacked and arranged neatly beside the sink, Casey smiled softly and filled the sink with water set to the hottest temperature she could stand. Adding her favorite lavender scented dish soap, the redhead smiled softly to herself and began cleaning.

A half hour later, she entered the living room. As every head turned to look at her, she smiled and claimed her spot on the love seat beside Olivia and their daughter. Samantha immediately crawled out of Olivia's arms to give Casey a hug. Casey returned the hug and invited her daughter to sit on her lap, an invitation the young child eagerly accepted. Casey smiled and held her. "Did I miss anything?" she asked, thinking of the laughter she had been listening to for the past forty five minutes.

"We were just discussing the election, and the hypocrisy of each candidate," Munch answered.

"Correction. John was just discussing the election, and the hypocrisy of each candidate," Amanda responded, ignoring the playfully hurt stare shot from the latter's direction. "The rest of us were merely enjoying his thoughts. Some of them are actually quite funny."

Casey nodded. "Like what?" she asked. Under normal circumstances, she avoided discussing politics, because it was one of many topics that led to fruitless and ridiculous arguments. But she had to admit, John's jokes and cynicism were often fascinating, despite being odd, and she found herself intrigued as to what was so entertaining at this particular moment.

John smiled and began. "A leftist, a liar, a loser, and a lame duck walk into a bar. The bartender looks up and smiles, then says 'What can I get you, Mr. President?'"

Casey shook her head. "John, honestly, I think when they devised the word cynic, they had you in mind. I would bet your name is listed under the example section of the definition."  
>"He's old enough," Fin snickered. Everyone else chuckled, and he elbowed Munch gently. "Have you heard his joke about marriage?" he added.<p>

"Yes, I have, and not in front of the baby!" Casey protested, instinctively covering Samantha's ears. The marriage joke was extremely sexual, and far too inappropriate to be heard by little ears.

Olivia smiled and wrapped her arm around her wife. "Casey, it's okay. Her virgin ears will be protected, sweetie." She reached over and gently kissed the younger woman on the cheek.

Casey sighed, uncovering Samantha's ears reluctantly. "I know. It's just that, with everything we deal with every day, I want to avoid exposing her to those trauma and horrors of the world. I don't want to see our little angel corrupted."

"Well, honey, she's going to have to understand it at some point," Amanda interjected.

"I know," Casey admitted. "That's what worries me," she added, adjusting a stray strand of hair on Samantha's head. She had definitely inherited her mother's naturally red locks. "Anyway, does anyone else have any good jokes?" she asked, looking around the room at their guests.

John shrugged. "I have jokes, but I used up my one and only appropriate one."

Casey nodded thoughtfully, looking down at her daughter, who had squirmed so that, while she was still in Casey's lap, she was able to reach Olivia, and she was tugging on the detective's sleeve. "Well, I guess it is time for pin the tail on the mermaid," Casey announced with a soft smile.

Three hours later, after everyone had gone home, Casey looked at Olivia. They were sitting on their bed, Samantha between them. "I don't know what it is about her, but I really do think she hates me," she said, referencing Amanda, who they had been discussing for the past five minutes.  
>"Casey, she doesn't hate you. She just thinks you're too strict for our daughter."<br>"Well, when she's a parent and her maternal instincts kick in, let me know. Until then, she can bite her tongue, because she cannot possibly understand the need to keep our baby safe from everything. What does she expect me to do, take Samantha to work with me and say 'Look, angel, there's a rapist. He violates women for a living, and maybe someday, you'll meet someone like him'?" Casey paused, shutting her eyes tightly as she realized what she had just said. She sighed, opening her eyes to look down at their beautiful daughter, who was playing with her new elephant. "What if that happens to her?" the attorney asked quietly, voicing her worst fear. "We see it every day, Olivia."

Olivia nodded and wrapped her arms around the younger woman, stroking her hair to calm her. "Casey, listen to me. I promise you that nothing will ever happen to you or our beautiful little girl. I would die before I let that happen, alright? I know you're scared. I would be lying if I said I was not downright terrified myself. On the other hand, I will do everything I can to protect my family, and anyone wanting to hurt either of you will have to feel my wrath first. Trust me, sweetie. Nothing bad will happen."

As Olivia continued to stroke her hair, Casey felt her body relax and her worries slowly fade. It was impossible for them to completely disappear, of course, but for now, as they crawled to the back of her mind, the redhead felt comforted. "I just can't help but worry," she murmured, sniffling.

"I know," Olivia replied softly, kissing the top of her head. "But trust in me and what I said, and everything will be okay. What we see every day and what we deal with...I will never allow that to hurt the two best girls in my life."

Casey laid her head on the older woman's chest, sighing. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too, babe," Olivia responded, kissing the top of the younger woman's head once more as she resumed stroking her hair.

Casey had just closed her eyes when she heard a clap of thunder, which reverberated through the house, shaking the very walls of the bedroom. The thunder was followed by a shriek from Samantha, who dissolved into terrified tears. Casey sat up and lifted her daughter into her arms, rocking her gently and comforting her softly. "It's okay, Samantha. It's just thunder, sweetie. It won't hurt you." But Samantha continued to sob. Casey reached for her daughter's elephant and smiled, holding it up for her. "Look at Elsie, sweetheart. Think of that scary sound as Elsie saying hi to you."

That worked. Almost immediately, Samantha smiled and clapped, petting Elsie's trunk. "Hi," she echoed, giggling. She hugged Casey tightly and looked up into her mother's emerald green eyes.

Another clap of thunder resounded, but this time, Samantha did not even flinch. Olivia smiled and kissed Casey on the lips, then Samantha's forehead. "I love you two more than life itself."

"Well, lucky for you, I know of a certain attorney who loves her detective with everything she has," Casey replied, returning her wife's kiss. She continued to rock Samantha, until her daughter asked to be let down. Casey obliged, placing her on the bed once more. Samantha immediately snuggled between her mothers, Elsie close at hand, as she had been since the moment she had been opened.

Moments later, Samantha was sound asleep, cuddling her new favorite toy as if it was a life line. Casey propped herself up on her side and looked into Olivia's beautiful chocolate brown eyes. "You know, I have a friend at work whose son is the same age as Samantha, and he still sleeps in his crib." She looked down at their sleeping princess and smiled, pride welling in her heart for what seemed to be the thousandth time that night. She shook her head, amazed. "She is so advanced for her age. I mean how many one year olds do you know who can fall asleep in a normal bed? How many one year olds do you know who talk as well as she does?" The redhead paused. "Or maybe I'm just being an over prideful mommy."

"Well, there are ways to find out," Olivia responded, smiling. "We could take her to a specialist. But first, I have an idea." Seeing Casey's curious look, she smiled. "I'll be right back." Carefully, attempting to avoid waking their daughter, Olivia stepped out of bed and retrieved her lap top from the table by the window. She gingerly laid back down and turned the computer on. Once everything was loaded, she accessed a website written by a pediatrician. "All of the information on this site is valid and well researched by an actual doctor," she explained to Casey's puzzled look.

Casey smiled brightly. "Wow. Of all of the websites we studied when I was pregnant with Samantha, how is it we never came across this one?" she asked curiously.

Olivia shrugged. "I guess because it was given to be by Melinda, and that was only recently."

"Oh. Okay...well..." Casey snuggled as close to Olivia as she could without hitting Samantha and scanned the list of links on the right. "Click that link," she said, gesturing to the link to the stages of life.

Olivia did so, and scrolled down to one year. "Okay, here we go. How to determine if your baby is the typical one year old," she read. "First of all, they will be slowly changing from crawlers to little walkers."  
>"Well, Samantha has been walking for two months, so she's an overachiever on that," Casey replied. The redhead scanned the next paragraph. "At this stage, your baby will enjoy pushing things and knocking everything down as they master fine motor skills," she read. "Well, that is definitely Samantha," she murmured. "Every time I turn my back, something else ends up on the floor."<p>

"This also says that, at a year old, her talking should consist mostly of monosyllabic words and that she will understand us well. That is definitely her. It also says she should have been talking since the age of three months. Well, Case, she called you mommy at two months."

"She's just an overachiever all over the place," Casey responded, smiling. "Scroll down to the cognitive development section," she requested. As Olivia did so, Casey read for a moment. "This says that at a year old they begin to use objects correctly, find hidden objects easily, and imitate gestures."

Olivia grinned. "John flipped Munch off earlier, and Samantha did the same to me."  
>"What?" Casey cried, immediately biting her tongue, hoping Samantha would not wake.<p>

Olivia chuckled. "It's okay, sweetie, I warned them about not doing it again. The point is, she's normal." Ignoring Casey's arched eyebrows, a sign of frustration, Olivia scrolled to the movement section. "This says that a one year old should be able to stand up by themselves, walk by holding onto a nearby piece of furniture, and stand momentarily without support."  
>"Things she could do by the age of nine months," Casey replied. As they reached the bottom of the article, she smiled. "So I think it is safe to say that, not only is our little princess at the right level for her age. She well exceeds it."<p>

"Just like her mommy," Olivia replied, kissing the redhead softly.

"Let's call her pediatrician just to make sure though," Casey added. "I'll make the appointment tomorrow."

Olivia nodded and kissed her softly. Just as their lips met, Olivia's cell phone vibrated, echoing throughout the bedroom. She sighed. "That's Cragen's page," she murmured. "I have to go, honey," she added, kissing Casey once more with an apologetic hug.

Casey sighed. "Go," she answered, trying to hide her disappointment. "If you won't be home tonight, text me at two in the morning so I know I'm going to bed alone." She checked the clock. "It is now ten PM, so just text me in four hours and let me know either way."

Olivia agreed, and retrieved her gun and shield. Giving her wife and daughter one last kiss each, she hurried out. Casey settled against the pillows and sighed, closing her eyes.

_Author's note: What did you all think? I'd love to know your thoughts on Samantha's advanced mind, in terms of whether you think it will affect her parents or not. Also, what did you think of the party? I really want to know if it was a good inclusion or if it was pointless...please, please let me know. As always thanks for reading ;)._


	44. Chapter 4-The Trick Behind the Law

_Author's note: Hey everyone. Thanks for the awesome reviews. Then again, all reviews are awesome, because to me it means a reader cares enough to tell me they like it. So I just want everyone to know how appreciative I am. Also, I have received enough private messages questioning my style on this story, and why I did what I have done. Seeing this amount of confusion from these messages, I have decided to publicly explain. I have experience with what happens when I write a sequel. One of my very popular stories, a couple of years ago, was so popular that I decided to make a sequel. Well, then came all the 'What is going on' messages. I realized, people were ignoring the fact that it was a sequel, and that, having not read the first, they just went to the sequel. Therefore, they were confused about past events mentioned, characters, etc. So I vowed to do something different with this story. That is combining stories one, two, and three into this one story, so that it is three in one, and eliminates confusion. Yes, I am considering a third, depending on how this new segment is favored. Anyway, off to the story. Pardon my rambling. Thanks for reading, and please review. _

"This is insane," Casey murmured, jotting down the latest tidbit of tedious information that she doubted she would ever need outside of this godforsaken trial. The case itself was rather typical. A professor had engaged in an active affair with his wife's fourteen year old daughter. The twist, however, arrived disguised as the fact that it was the professor who came to the police, claiming, like many men in his position, that the girl had seduced him. Casey was doing everything she could to think like every single juror, and to, through that technique, discover the best way to discredit the defense's argument. The key was convincing the jury to disregard the naked photos of herself that the victim had sent to her professor, and the video of her begging him to take her on all fours that he had secretly recorded. That was the trick, and Casey knew she had to convince the jury that, naughty images or not, the girl was still a victim, and that the professor was guilty of rape and possession of child pornography.

Sadly, it all went back to that damn video, and its accompanying photograph. Casey shook her head as she closed out the latest open window of her laptop browser in her night long quest for information. Then she stood, stretched, and headed into the other half of her office. Standing in front of the book case, she skimmed the titles of the dozens of law books before her until she found the one she needed. Retrieving it, the attorney carried it back to her desk and opened the book to the section regarding child pornography statutes. The section had been used so many times in her time with the Special Victims Unit that the book seemed to open itself. Casey sighed and began to read.

Keeping the video and photograph meant the professor was already guilty of two class E felonies, and Casey's goal was to get him the maximum penalty on both. With any luck, he would be in jail for four years for each count. It was going to be difficult to avoid orders to arrest the victim, as Casey knew that there was a strong chance the judge might believe she should be punished for being the one who took the nude picture of herself, and distributing it. It would certainly not be the first time a judge had done this very thing.

"Are you planning on going to bed anytime soon?" Casey looked up, startled, and she smiled softly when she saw Olivia standing in the doorway, watching her. The detective walked over to the desk, pulled out a chair, and sat down across from the beautiful attorney. "Busy night?"

Casey nodded, lost in thought. "Mmhm," she answered absentmindedly. She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, recollecting her thoughts. "This case is in the dog house, Olivia," she explained. "No one disputes the fact that a fifty five year old man had sex with a fourteen year old girl. That is statutory rape, plain and simple. And we cannot overlook the fact that he tied her to the bed and brutally raped her two months ago, this time without her consent. However, it's going to be hell proving that in open court. The jury is going to see this video and thin it was just another seduction session," the redhead continued, handing the videotape to Olivia as she spoke.

"I know," Olivia replied, letting out a deep sigh as she examined the video. "You're right. There is a very slim chance of getting them to believe she was raped after seeing her practically jumping him on camera. But what about the statutory?"

"The law is clear. I know it's statutory rape. You know it's statutory rape. The juror members will know that too, and I would hope that they would convict the bastard. I mean if you think about it, they don't have much of a choice, considering the fact that both parties admit that they had sex. Even if they do convict him, though, he's a well respected pillar of the community. He gives to charity, he's an able minded politician, and even at fifty five, women still find him incredibly attractive. What if he gets off with a minor sentence? Oh, what if he gets probation?" Casey moaned, standing up abruptly. The attorney began to pace back and forth nervously. "I've been researching him all night online to find a way in, but it's as if he's too perfect, Olivia. He is squeaky clean."

Olivia stood up and walked over to her, pulling her into her arms to stop her pacing. Once she had convinced Casey to sit back down, the detective handed her a manila envelope. Seeing Casey's questioning look, the detective nodded. "He's not as squeaky clean as he seems to be. This was left anonymously for me after dinner tonight. I found it when I got back to the precinct."

Casey opened the envelope and pulled out a stack of papers. Frowning, she began to read. "This is a police report dated two years ago. A girl walked into the Brooklyn SVU and told them that she had caught her professor having sex with a young woman in his office. It says here that a more thorough investigation revealed that the girl caught with the professor was only sixteen."

"Seems Mr. Dunning likes them young," Olivia affirmed. "Check the photo," she said.

Casey did as she was told, setting the police report aside and examining the photograph underneath it. A tiny smile formed on her lips as she examined the picture, which featured Nick Dunning with his pants down and a very naked girl on the floor, performing what was clearly oral sex on him. "This must be Marissa," she murmured. "God, she really is so young."

"You read the report. She's only sixteen. She would be eighteen now. Can you introduce this at trial?"

Casey looked up from the photograph. "I don't know," she admitted. "I can try to get it in as a prior bad act, and to establish a pattern, but without a corroborating witness, Judge Preston will most likely accuse me of going on a fishing expedition. You know perfectly well how she operates." She glanced back down, examining the picture in her hands. "This proves that the claims are more than hearsay," she continued. "However, I need Marissa Logan to testify, because at this point, she is our only hope to prove that Dunning is a repeat offender. That, at least, will hopefully get him the maximum sentence on the statutory. From there, if we can establish this pattern, and successfully use it to our benefit, then it is not such a large leap to convincing the jury that he is violent. Olivia, I need Marissa Logan," Casey repeated, looking across the desk at her wife.

"I'll check up on her," Olivia replied. "With any luck, she still lives in the same house as she did two years ago. Is there anything else you need?"

Casey shook her head. "Not right now. This is the first time in weeks that the tide of the trial actually seems to be on our side. It's like we just found a clue in an enormous maze, and finally have some semblance of where to go. This bastard deserves to go to prison for a very long time, and if I have to throw away the key myself, then so be it."

Olivia nodded. "You're quite sexy when you're angry, have I ever told you that?"

Under the dim green glow thrown from the lamp on the desk, Casey blushed, her pale cheeks flushing to match her long crimson curls. "Well, thanks, babe. You're pretty hot yourself."  
>"Always," Olivia answered, chuckling. The two women shared a grin in the darkness, and Casey felt a spark shoot through her heart and plunge deep between her legs. Olivia's self confidence was an incredible turn on to the attorney. Olivia checked the time and sighed. "I have to go, sweetie. No more research for you. You are going to go home and go to bed. If I get home in the morning and you're not sound asleep, you're in big trouble."<p>

"Are you trying to make me obey or make me want to stay awake just to see what happens?" Casey asked, smiling brightly. She felt Olivia's strong grip on her shoulders, and realized the older woman had stood up and walked behind her.

Olivia's breath tickled her ear as she spoke, her voice a husky whisper. "Go to bed, sweetheart. I love you. I'll be home in the morning." And, after a brief, loving exchange between the two women, the detective had left, leaving Casey by herself once more.

The attorney looked down at the files in front of her and, realizing she was too exhausted to comprehend much more, began to clean. She carried the book to its shelf, replacing it in its rightful place between its alphabetic predecessor and successor. After locking the file Olivia had given her in the file cabinet and placing the key safely in her purse, Casey powered down her laptop and packed it, in addition to her briefcase. A yawn suddenly hit her, and the redhead realized just how sleepy she was.

Gathering her things, she exited the office, locking the door behind her. Heading down the hallway, she pressed the down button on the elevator, and waited for the car to arrive. As she waited, she could have sworn she saw a shadow against the wall. "Hello?" she called out tentatively, turning around to survey her surroundings. There was no one there. Assuming her tired mind was playing trics on her, Casey was nevertheless relieved when the elevator arrived.

Hearing a loud clanging, and seeing an approaching figure, Casey shrank back against the wall and silently willed the elevator doors to close. But they never got the chance. Just as they were about to slide shut, they were forced open once more. Casey opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out.

_Author's note: Well, what did you think? I think one of the best advantages about choosing to be a lawyer myself is the fact that I can relate to Casey so well, and that I don't have to look up every other fact when doing chapters like this. It makes it less time consuming, but it also means I can avoid sounding like I am stringing random facts together to make a point. And since it is Halloween, there are some really interesting plot twists coming up, so stay tuned. Also, I didn't give the victim a name yet. I was thinking either Allie, Cynthia, or Elizabeth. I figured I'd open it up. Whichever name gets the most vote wins. Review and let me know (a) what you thought of the chapter and (b) Which name you like best. =-). Thanks for reading! Reviews are amazing!_


	45. Chapter 5-An Endless Nightmare

_Author's note: Hey everyone. I know it has been a few days since I last updated. Sorry about that. I had writer's block, and then when my creativity did come back, I was too busy to publish yesterday. I have been trying to finish an original fiction too, and when it is finished I'll put that up in the hopes of seeing what everyone thinks. For now, however, I present the next chapter of this story. Thanks for all the feedback, as always. Please read and review. Thank you. By the way, I opened the plot for this chapter up to everyone's ideas (reviewers), and I chose the one that I thought sounded best. That idea belongs to tummer22. What is the idea? Wait and see. =)_

Casey shrank back against the wall of the elevator, her heart leaping into her throat as she realized who was there. "What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded, trying to regain the breath that had escaped her in her moment of terror.

"Casey, please let us talk about this," came the reply. Casey watched in horror as her father entered the elevator and pressed the button for the parking garage. As the doors slid closed, Casey sighed inaudibly, shrinking further into the corner. "Casey, you know how much I love you and your mother. I would never do anything to hurt either of you. It was a moment of weakness!"

Casey's emerald eyes narrowed in anger. "A moment of weakness?" she repeated, her blood boiling within her veins. "A moment of weakness is when you catch yourself ogling another woman's chest. A moment of weakness is when you flirt with a younger woman. A moment of weakness does not include screwing random whores, and it sure as hell does not include raping women."

Her father sighed, his brows knitting as he rubbed his forehead. It was a sign Casey knew all too well, a sign that he was exasperated and at a loss for words. "Casey, honey, listen to me," he began. "I never meant to hurt anyone. You know me, sweetheart. You know how much your mother means to me." As he spoke, he looked at Casey hopefully, but the redhead simply turned away in disgust. "What do I have to do to make you forgive me?" he inquired.

"Get a time machine and go back to before I was born. Then, have a different man impregnate Mom," Casey answered, too bitter and spiteful to say anything remotely civil.

"Do you know how hurtful it is for my own daughter to hate me?"

"I don't know. Do you know how shameful it is to have a rapist for a father?" Casey retorted. As she spoke, tears flooded her emerald eyes. She bit them back, willing herself not to cry. She shook her head, wondering briefly who had turned the heater up in the elevator, and why it was taking so long to get to the parking garage. "Why are you even here?" she asked softly, afraid that if she spoke any louder, she would completely break down.

Her father sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder, pulling back when she flinched. "I am on probation," he answered. He watched the anger flick across Casey's features and sighed once more. "I know you do not believe me, sweetheart, but I promise you, at the risk of losing everything that I will never do this again. You have to believe that I truly never meant to hurt anyone. I had too much to drink and I took my frustration at the-"

"Spare me the alcohol crutch!" Casey cried. "As a former DA, father, you should know better than anyone that it is the oldest and most pathetic excuse in the book. Here's what happened: my father is a rapist. And if I live to be a hundred, I will never forgive you." Finally, the light on the button flashed green, and Casey sighed in relief as the elevator doors slid open. Her father tried to hold her back, but Casey yanked her arm away. "Let go of me," she ordered. "Or I will scream."

"Please forgive me!" her father begged. "Or at least listen. Please listen at the very least."

Biting her lip, and suspecting she would regret it later, Casey stopped, and turned around. She found herself unable to look him in the eye, and instead focused on the red no entry banner painted onto the pillar beside the elevator. "There's nothing you can say to make me change my mind."

"Maybe not, but if I can convince you to hear me, then maybe it will not be such a large jump to listening, and understanding. I met this woman, Casey. She made me feel younger than I have in years. Your mother was seventeen when we got married. I was almost thirty. You know that." Her father sighed again and paused, and Casey knew he was trying to decide what to say next. "You heard me talking to her on the phone. I already told you all about her. The point here is, I love her, and I started to feel things I had never felt before. Everything was intense. Your mother is..."

Casey cut him off. "I don't need to hear about what you two do in bed. You already gave me the talk."

As if not hearing her, her father continued. "Your mother is beautiful, honey, but she's no longer a spring chicken, and neither am I. Being with some so young and vivacious was incredible. But soon after you found out about the relationship, she broke up with me, and I was angry. I went to a bar and I saw a young woman and after a few drinks I just lost it...she reminded me so much of the other woman and I lost my cool. I took her back to the hotel room. I heard her say no but it was as if I could not stop. And when it was over, I felt awful. I still do. Casey, that's why I came to you. I need you to understand. I need you to forgive me."

Casey listened carefully to each word, and when her father was done with his monologue, she bit her lip thoughtfully. Her eyes flooded with tears once more as she murmured "I don't know if I can. At least, not any time soon. Bye, Dad." She sighed and turned, hurrying for her car. Half relieved that her father didn't follow her and half worried, she started the car and drove away, having little idea where she was going or why.

Early in the morning, the attorney tossed and turned beneath the blankets, nightmares plaguing her mind. She sat up quickly, breathing heavily, her heart beating a thousand times per second within her chest. Once she had managed to pull herself together, Casey crawled out of bed and stumbled her way down the stairs, heading for the kitchen. She had an incredibly strong craving for melted chocolate over pineapple, which was surprising, given the fact that pineapple was her least favorite produce item.

Entering the kitchen, Casey paused when she noticed Olivia sitting at the table. The detective was reading the morning paper, munching on a bowl of cheerios. Casey smiled softly and pulled out her chair, sitting down beside her wife. "Good morning," she murmured just as a yawn crept up on her.

Olivia looked up and smiled softly. "Well, good morning, beautiful," the brunette answered, leaning over and kissing Casey gently on the lips. "How do you feel? Is the baby alright?"

"I'm fine. The baby's great," Casey replied, offering a reassuring smile. She checked the time, noting that it was a quarter past nine. "What time did you get home?" she asked.

Olivia, too, glanced at the time. "I left the precinct around four, and I got home just after five," she responded. Seeing the curious look that flashed across Casey's face, the detective explained "I stopped by your favorite bakery and picked up some of your favorite croissants. I also picked up some bagels and donuts." As she finished speaking, Olivia reached over, brushing a stray red curl out of Casey's eyes. She frowned as they locked eyes, and she noticed the reddish tint to the attorney's emerald green eyes. "Case, have you been crying?" the detective questioned, the concern immediately flooding into her voice.

"No," Casey lied. "I'm just tired," she added quickly. It was too quickly, and judging by the look on Olivia's face, Casey knew the older woman was as aware of her lie as she was. "Olivia, I'm okay," she assured her.

"Casey Elizabeth, you are not fine," Olivia answered. "I can see it in your eyes, and I can see it in how you are acting this morning. So spill. What is going on, and whose ass do I need to kick?"

Casey sighed, biting her lip so hard that she had to lick a tiny bead of blood away. "I was at work last night," she began. "I had just finished researching for the Dunning case. I realized how tired I was, and that I should go home. But just as I had gotten into the elevator, I was joined by someone." Seeing Olivia nod, the attorney realized that not continuing was not an option. Reluctantly, she went on. "It was my father," she whispered, as if saying it any louder would destroy the world.

"What?" Olivia demanded. "Casey, why didn't you call me? I would have come!"

Casey shook her head. "I didn't need you," she said. She paused, sighing as she realized how awful that sounded. "That is not what I mean," she mumbled, closing her eyes and burying her head in her folded arms on top of the table. From this position, she continued to share the story of what had transpired with her father. "I told him to go away but um, he refused. Then again, he has never been one to accede to anyone's requests save his own. Anyway he said he had managed to get probation. Then he laid the usual 'I was drunk' story on me and blamed it on his anger, which in turn was caused by his twenty something bimbo breaking up with him."

Olivia nodded, listening thoughtfully. Casey felt her heart flutter, knowing in that moment that the detective would never leave her. Even in something as awful as this. Olivia shook her head, frowning once more. "So he rapes women, then shows up requesting your forgiveness? Oh, honey, that is awful," she replied. "What did you do?"

"I told him I didn't know if I could forgive him, and then, when he grabbed me, I pulled back and drove away. How can I forgive him, Olivia? He broke my heart, he broke my mom's heart, and of course, the biggest issue here is that he violated a woman. He...he did what the perverts we collar did...oh my god." Casey stood up so abruptly that her chair nearly fell over. "Oh god," she murmured as she began to pace nervously, back and forth across the kitchen.

Olivia stood up and walked over to her, wrapping her arms around the younger woman to soothe her. She kissed the top of Casey's head and gently began to rub her back. "Casey, I promise we're going to get through this. Nothing will come between us, no matter what. I know your father is a rapist, and an adulterer, but we can overcome that. I will help you overcome that, I promise you. I want you to be happy."

"I know," Casey mumbled before dissolving into the tears that had been threatening to spill since the night before. She sobbed for several minutes in Olivia's warm embrace, until she was out of tears and her energy was completely spent. Olivia had no sooner helped her sit down when she began to cry all over again. Again, Olivia held her. The process repeated itself until Casey simply collapsed in her wife's arms, exhausted. "I need you," she murmured.

"I'm here, baby," was all Olivia whispered, kissing Casey's forehead and rubbing her back lovingly. "I'm here."

_Author's note: Well, what do you think? Good, bad, or indifferent, let me know. Please review ;)._


	46. Chapter 6--An Exhausted Confession

_Author's note: I've decided that Casey and Olivia are going to throw a Halloween party. The problem is, I cannot decide whether to write it before, on, or after Halloween. So I've decided to let the story play out and see when it fits in. I mean, it has to be logical. And it all depends on the feedback. I do like to open up opinions to readers, because I feel that makes it more interactive, and more interesting. Anyway it just depends. We'll see. Also, by the end of the day, I hope to have up a new banner that I will be making after I publish this, so be on the look out. I'll put it in my biography :). As always, thanks for reading, and please review. _

Exhaustion was the wrong word. Casey was nearly dead, as tired as she was. Between hearing Olivia's phone go off at all hours of the night, and getting out of bed constantly to calm Samantha, who woke often from the thunder, Casey was lucky if she had managed six hours of sleep in the past four days. She knew she would crash if she stopped moving, but she had too much to do: trial prep, interviews, nanny interviews for the baby. There was no time to slow down, and thus, the attorney found herself practically sleepwalking through her days and stumbling through the nights.

She barely hid a sudden yawn as she listened to Dunning's rambling on the witness stand. It was the usual 'I regret betraying my wife. It was a moment of weakness. She was so beautiful' speech. It infuriated Casey on a good day, but at the moment, she was operating under the combined fury of being irritable from her exhaustion, and the anger of Dunning's claim being so similar to her own father's. Why were men incapable of formulating logical excuses? Casey sighed and crossed her legs, jotting down nearly every word spoken by both the defendant and his attorney. The easiest way to hang someone was using their own words, after all.

The only problem was, Dunning was too intelligent to entrap himself, and when his lawyer finished speaking, Casey knew he was not one she could easily trick. There was, however, one way. Sighing, she stood up and walked over to him, standing a mere few inches from the witness stand. "Mr. Dunning," she began. As he looked her in the eye, Casey felt her anger mount within her, her emerald eyes darkening to reflect this. "Mr. Dunning," she repeated. "You deny raping Allie Jennings, am I correct? You maintain that is was purely consensual?"

"That's correct. I have no problems getting women, Miss," he replied. "I've been attracting women since long before you were born. They are naturally drawn to me, it seems."

Casey nodded as if in agreement, though in reality she was holding back her laughter at his stupidity. "That may be true, Mr. Dunning, but Miss Jennings is only fourteen, is that correct?"

"I was not aware of that until after," he replied. "I do regret what happened, and if I had known her real age beforehand, it never would have went as far as it did."

Casey shifted her weight innocuously, and folded her arms across her chest. "You claim you did not know how old she was. And yet, in your initial statement to the police, you said that she was a student in the accelerated program from the high school. Now, I'm sure you know, Mr. Dunning, that the accelerated program in question only takes freshman and sophomores?"

"Well I-" He faltered, and looked from Casey to his attorney and back again. "I thought maybe she was a leader, or a teacher."

Casey shook her head. "Is that the best you can do?" she asked. Walking over to her table, she retrieved a picture of the victim. She held it up as she walked slowly past the jury, allowing each member to see it. Then, she held it in front of the defendant. "Just to verify, Mr. Dunning. You are arguing that you thought she was of the age of consent?" she asked. Holding up the picture to emphasize her point, she continued "Does this girl look seventeen to you?"

He reached for the picture, but Casey held it back. "Who can say who looks what age?" he asked. "What are you, darling, twenty five?"

Casey's eyes narrowed once more. "False flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Dunning," she responded coolly. "One fact cannot be disputed. Allie Jennings did not look seventeen. And you knew full well how old she was. You admitted so yourself. You knew the teacher, so you were aware that everyone else was a student. Let me ask you something, Mr. Dunning. When you two were in your office, did she take anything off?"

"Objection. What does that have to do with anything? My client will not remember-"

Casey quickly replied "He told Detective Benson that he would never forget a single detail of the night he made love to the sexiest girl on the planet. Allie Jenning's clothes fall under that category."

"I agree with Miss Novak. Objection is overruled," Judge Preston replied.

Casey nodded, silently grateful for the judge's response. As she did so, Dunning answered, replying "Uh. She was wearing a plaid skirt, I guess."

Casey held up the picture again. "This plaid skirt?" she asked. As he nodded, Casey felt a brief thrill run through her, the satisfaction of knowing she was on the verge of forcing him over the cliff. "This plaid skirt is the uniform of the underclassmen at Allie's high school. So let us recap. She does not look seventeen, she belonged to a group that even you knew was for people under sixteen, and she was wearing a uniform for the underclassmen at her school. The conclusion? You did know she was underage, didn't you, Mr. Dunning?" she demanded, fixing him with a penetrating glare.

"I—uh-" Dunning sighed and lowered his gaze. "Yes. I knew."

"So you are admitting, under oath to statutory rape. But that was not your first count, was it?" she demanded. This was her chance, her one opportunity to introduce key evidence in the hopes that the judge would accept it. "Mr. Dunning, who is Marissa Logan?"

"Objection!" came the defense attorney's response. "The prosecution is stating facts not in evidence."

Casey shook her head. "On the contrary. Marissa Logan was cross examined in the Grand Jury as a witness to the assault on Allie Jennings. The defense has a copy of her testimony, which makes it valid evidence."

"Objection is overruled, but watch it, Miss Novak," Judge Preston warned.

"Thank you, Your Honor," Casey replied. "Mr. Dunning?"

Dunning shrugged, though Casey could see the color had risen in his neck and face. "She was another girl with the group. I think she was friends with Allie. She was very pretty."

"Can you tell us the first time you spoke to her, Mr. Dunning?"

"I didn't."

Casey shook her head. "You just love to lie, don't you? Marissa Logan testified to the Grand Jury that she caught you having sex with her best friend, Allie Jennings. She reported that she walked in on you receiving oral sex from Miss Jennings. Do you deny seeing her?"

Dunning exhaled slowly. "I do not deny seeing her. In fact, she looked rather offended. I thought about offering to give her the same experience. I like to broaden my horizons."

Casey was torn between being disgusted and being confident that he would be thrown in prison for as long as possible, considering how rapidly his defense was falling apart. "So you admit to having sex with one underage girl and wanting to do so with another. Mr. Dunning, you have completely avoided my question. What did you do when Miss Logan caught you? And before you consider lying, know that we have your bank statements."

By the look on his face, Casey could see that Dunning knew he was caught in his own web of lies. As if considering the consequences of all possible lies, he exhaled deeply, and admitted the truth. "I offered her a thousand dollars in exchange for her keeping my secret," he muttered.

A collective gasp rose from the jury. Casey simply stared at him once more. "Why would you pay someone off if you were not committing a crime? The truth is, Mr. Dunning, you knew all along how old Allie Jennings was, didn't you?"

"No. I didn't know until afterwards," Dunning protested.

"You knew beforehand," Casey insisted. "You knew perfectly well how young she was, and you knew you had done something wrong. Tell the truth, Mr. Dunning. For once, tell the truth. You raped a young girl and you obstructed justice by bribing the only witness."

In that moment, something seemed to snap. Suddenly, Dunning had leaped to his feat screaming. "DO YOU THINK I'M THE ONLY MAN WHO EVER WANTED SOMEONE YOUNGER? DO YOU THINK I'M THE ONLY MAN WHO EVER HAD SEX WITH SOMEONE IN HIGH SCHOOL? CAN I HELP IT THAT WOMEN FIND ME ATTRACTIVE, OR THAT I FIND THEM THE SAME? SEX IS A NATURAL PART OF LIFE, COUNSELOR. MAYBE YOU SHOULD TRY EXPERIMENTING WITH IT INSTEAD OF BEING JEALOUS OF THOSE WHO ARE ACTUALLY CAPABLE OF GETTING SOMEONE!"

Casey listened to the rant silently, standing a few feet away. As Dunning finished speaking, his attorney buried his head in his hands, and Dunning sat down, panting. Casey nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Dunning. That will be all." And, trying to hide her satisfied smile, the attorney walked back over to her table and reclaimed her seat. It was the first time in days that she felt awake.

After a few more witnesses were introduced on each side, Casey called her last witness to the stand. It was none other than Marissa Logan. They already had the under oath confession, but Casey wanted to give the prosecution's evidence a sense of finality, and Marissa Logan's testimony provided just that. Then, when the time came for the verdict to be delivered, Casey listened, her nerves consuming her as they always did the moment before the verdict came in.

"We find the defendant, Nicholas Dunning, guilty of statutory rape," the foreman read.

Casey felt a sigh of relief course through her. The judge excused everyone, announcing the date of the sentencing hearing, and Casey began gathering her things. Once everything was packed, she smiled to herself and exited the courtroom.

Once she reached her car, Casey speed dialed Olivia and waited for the detective to answer. After several rings, and just when Casey was about to prepare her voicemail, her wife answered. "Hey, babe, it's me," Casey said, adjusting her rearview mirror as she spoke.

"Did the verdict on Dunning come back?" Olivia asked.

Casey nodded before realizing her wife could not see her. Instead, she simply replied "Yes. He had a bit of a...lack of judgment and lost his temper. He admitted to everything, including bribing Marissa Logan. It's too bad we can't charge him with witness tampering."

"Well, let's just hope the judge takes it into account in sentencing, and gives the bastard the maximum penalty. He deserves to rot in jail."

"Yes he does," Casey responded. She checked the time and realized that Olivia would be taking her lunch break any minute. "I'll let you go so you can enjoy your lunch, babe. Will you be home tonight?"  
>"I hope so," Olivia replied. "I'll call by five and let you know."<br>Casey smiled softly, this time not realizing that Olivia couldn't see her. "Okay."

"I love you. Congratulations, sweetheart."

"Thanks, babe. I love you too." After a few more words were spoken between them, Casey hung up and started the car. It was turning out to be a bright day after all.

_Author's note: Okay, once I publish this I'm going to begin the banner. I should have it up within the next half hour or so. It will be in my biography. :) Thanks for reading. Please review and let me know what you all thought. I love reading everyone's feedback._


	47. Chapter 7--First Date

_Author's note: Hey everyone. I meant to update last night, but I was exhausted, and I knew that if I had tried to write, the chapter would have been something to the effect of "So they said something, and did a few things, and oh there was a baby too..." I mean obviously there already is a baby, but my point here is, if I had tried to write, that is how ridiculous it would have come out. And I'm not someone who just writes to fill the paper with words. I pride myself on creativity and the ability to write interesting plots. In other words, I take my time to think things out, and I only write when I know that I can do a decent job. I was exhausted last night, and I promised myself that if I felt better today, I would publish today. So, I'm publishing today. On another note, I did make a banner for the story. I don't know who reads my biography and who does not, but if you want to see the banner, the link is in my biography on my profile. As always, thanks for reading, and please review. =)_

"Not to put too fine a point on it, but our waitress is taking forever," Casey observed quietly, making sure that only Olivia could hear her. The redhead closed her menu and pushed it aside for the tenth time in the last ten minutes, sighing as she looked at her wife. "What are you having?" she asked.

"I haven't decided what I want to eat yet," Olivia responded from behind her own menu. "Everything sounds delicious." Casey heard the detective sigh thoughtfully, and could not help but smile at the older woman's seemingly endless appetite. "Have you decided what you want yet?"

Casey shrugged. "I think I'm going to have the lobster dish. It has the most food, and I have been extremely hungry since this afternoon. Besides, I have been craving lobster since last night. As for my drink," she said, picking up her menu and scanning the drink menu once more, "Well, let's see. I can't have coffee. I can't have iced tea. I can't have alcohol. I'm pretty much limited to Sprite, ginger ale, hot cocoa, and water. The closest I'll get to a cocktail is a chocolate flavored, fizzy, neutralized drink. Doesn't that sound delicious?" she asked. She was mostly being sarcastic.

"Well, if you think about it, that actually has benefits. The chocolate would give it a delicious flavor, while the fizzy ginger ale would soothe your morning sickness. The water, of course, would help with the disgusting flavor of the combined drinks," Olivia answered.

Casey, knowing she was being mocked, shot the detective a playful glare. "I was being nostalgic," she murmured. "It's about the only consistent mood I've had in the past few days. I broke down crying earlier for reasons that are unknown even to myself. I was reading up on case law for the upcoming Kitchen trial, and all of a sudden, I was in tears."

"It is an emotional case," Olivia pointed out. "Kitchen murdered her child and then threw the baby in the Hudson. You know how sensitive you are. Not only that, but you're pregnant, so your sensitivity and vulnerability are heightened."

"Thank you for that fascinating tidbit of information, Dr. Benson," Casey retorted, pushing her menu aside yet again. "My point is, I cry at random things; I get angry at people who simply say good morning; and I laugh at the strangest times. My emotions have completely gone haywire. It wasn't nearly this bad with Samantha."

Olivia nodded and placed her own menu on top of Casey's. She smiled as Casey quickly adjusted them, making them perfectly straight. She reached across the table and took Casey's hand in hers, gazing into the younger woman's beautiful emerald green eyes. "These are normal pregnancy symptoms, Casey. I would be more worried if you weren't biting my head off for forgetting to fill the ice cube tray." Casey blushed, and mumbled an apology as she remembered yelling at the detective for not leaving enough ice for her. Olivia smiled and continued. "It's normal," she repeated. "And no matter what happens, I am here for you every step of the way."

Casey opened her mouth to respond, but their waitress chose that moment to appear. Casey bit her lip in order to avoid pointing out the fact that they had been waiting for over twenty minutes just to order their drinks. As the waitress asked if she could get them anything, the attorney merely nodded and replied "Can I get a large cocoa, with extra marshmallows and no whipped cream?" she asked.

The waitress, whose name tag read 'Julie', nodded and scribbled on the pad in her hand. Then, she turned to Olivia, who offered a large smile. "I would love a coffee, straight black please. Thank you."

Once more, the two women were left alone, waiting. Casey looked at Olivia and smiled. "Well, nanny interviews went well today. I mean we didn't end up with any biker chicks hoping to watch our daughter. I mean I have nothing wrong with biker chicks, but I want someone sweet and wholesome to take care of our child, you know?" She shrugged and crossed her legs under the table. "I'm leaning heavily towards Jane. She is from a small family, but Samantha bonded with her instantly, and her answers to the preliminary interview questions were the best. She knows how to cook, clean, and get the baby down for a nap. And she's really sweet on top of all of that."

"I agree," Olivia answered, returning Casey's smile. "I like Jane, but Maya was a close second."

"But Samantha did not bond with her," Casey pointed out. "In fact, when Maya held her, Samantha cried the entire time, until she was put down. Being a nanny takes more than knowing how to take care of the child. We need someone who likes the child, and is liked in return. That, in my opinion, is what makes Jane the better choice over Maya."

Olivia nodded in concession. "That is very true. Okay, Jane it is. I'll call her in the morning." As Olivia spoke, Julie returned with their drinks, and then asked for their orders. Olivia, who had finally decided on what she wanted, replied "I think I'll have the steak dish. Can you make the steak medium rare, but not too pink? With it, I would like two potatoes, a side salad, corn, and peas. Thank you."

Casey shook her head in disbelief over how much her wife could eat at times. One fact she could not deny, however, was how incredibly sexy Olivia's enormous appetite truly was. "I would like the lobster dish, please. I would like it with extra butter, and I would, like my wife, love a side salad. Thank you."

Julie scribbled down their order and scurried away, after promising that their food would be done soon. Olivia sipped her coffee and then took Casey's hand again. "What time did you tell Cindy that we'd be by to pick Samantha up?" she asked.

"She offered to keep her all night, but I declined. However, she insisted on it until I caved, and she simply said to get her around eight tomorrow morning."

Olivia nodded. "Eight in the morning it is," she replied. "It is really sweet of her to give us a night to ourselves, but at the same time-"

"You feel like we're imposing?" Casey asked, finishing her sentence, and her thought. After all, she felt the same way. "I know. I feel like we're pushing our child onto someone else. I know she volunteered to watch the baby all night, but I still cannot help but feel selfish." As she spoke, the attorney retrieved her cell phone from her purse. "I think I'll call her and tell her it's okay, and that we'll get Samantha tonight." Dialing Cindy's number, Casey waited for the line to pick up. When she heard a man's voice, she instantly recognized it as that of Cindy's husband, Robert. "Robert, it's Casey. Is Cindy there?" she asked.

"She took the girls to see that special showing of Cinderella at the duplex," Robert responded.

Casey briefly wondered if taking the baby to a movie was such a good thing, but she knew how well behaved Samantha was, and she trusted both her daughter and her friend. "Oh," was all she said. "Do you know what time she'll be home?" she inquired. "Olivia and I were just talking, and we decided that it would be best if we got the baby tonight after all."

Robert chuckled. "Cindy told me you'd call. Casey, listen. You two are not burdening us, or imposing, or any of the other negative thoughts you may happen to be thinking. Your daughter is extremely well behaved, and she loves Annie. Every couple needs a night to themselves sometimes, and it's the least we can do for you two after you watched Annie when Cindy was in the hospital. Have a great night, okay? Enjoy your date with Olivia, and don't worry about Samantha. She's in good hands. Know that. Take comfort in it. We'll see you in the morning."

"But-" Casey tried to protest.

"No buts," Robert interrupted. "See you in the morning. Have a great night."

Casey started to speak, but he had already hung up. She sighed and looked at Olivia. "Why are men so complicated?" she moaned. "I didn't even get a chance to thank him." In reality, she had said thank you more times that evening than she had in her life, but she was forgetting that part at the moment.

A few moments later, their food arrived, and they began to eat, making small talk as they enjoyed their meals. As the night went on, Casey realized just how much she had missed this special time with Olivia, and she realized that she could survive one night without the baby after all. After dinner, they went home and snuggled on the couch, watching a horror movie that Olivia had highly recommended. Casey, however, was burying her head in her wife's shoulder, hiding her eyes for much of the film, and she retaliated by forcing Olivia to sit through a romantic comedy.

As the credits of the second movie rolled across the screen, Olivia turned the DVD player and the TV off, and kissed the top of Casey's head. "You're so beautiful," she murmured. "I love you more than anything in the world, Casey." She lifted the younger woman's chin and gazed into her eyes. "You are forever my princess," she added softly. Then, she leaned closer and kissed the attorney passionately.

Casey moaned quietly, wrapping her arms around the older woman's neck and deepening the kiss. The minutes ticked by on the clock, the ticking accompanied by Casey's soft whimpers and Olivia's deep moans. Then, Olivia pulled back. Casey pouted at the sudden break of their kiss. "What was that for?" she murmured.

Olivia reached for the younger woman's hand and kissed her once more, though this kiss was merely a quick peck. "I want you to be comfortable, and the only way to make sure you are truly comfortable is to lay you down in our bed." She smiled and helped Casey to her feet, then led her up the stairs and into their bedroom. Dimming the lights, she told Casey to lay down and wait for her. Casey obeyed, and moments later, Olivia laid down on top of her, kissing her passionately. "I love you," she whispered.

_Author's note: I wanted to write a romantic chapter. I just haven't decided if I will make the love scene explicit or implicit. It's whatever you all want me to write. If you want explicit, I'll write it explicitly. If you want implicit, I will write it that way. So, thanks for reading and please review, letting me know three things: what you thought of the chapter, what type of scene you want to see next, and what you think of the banner (which is in the link in my biography). Thank you, as always. =)_


	48. Chapter 8- The Lion's Den

_Author's note: I meant to publish yesterday, but alas, I fell asleep mid chapter. In my defense, it was after midnight, and I had been awake since early in the morning and work was extremely busy and also very tiring. Anyway, when I woke up this morning I had lost what I had written because my laptop had died, as it was not plugged in when I fell asleep. So I'm rewriting. Thank you for all of the reviews and private messages. Explicit votes won, so here goes. Before I do that, though, I want to clarify something. I received three private messages about the last chapter that asked why I named it first date and these people then proceeded to point out that they were already married and that it was not their first date. The name of the chapter was symbolic, representing their first true date since Samantha was born the year before. I hope that makes sense... Anyway, read and review, please. =)_

y knew that this night was all about them. "I love you," she murmured, biting Olivia's lip gently.

Casey moaned softly as Olivia laid down on top of her. As the older woman kissed her passionately, the redhead wrapped her arms around her wife's neck, pulling her closer insistently. This was one of their rare opportunities to make love without worrying about being too loud, and waking the baby up. Samantha was at the babysitter's until the following morning, and Case

"I love you too," Olivia whispered, responding to Casey's bite with one of her own. The detective gently broke the kiss and helped Casey out of what little clothes the attorney still had on. Casey unbuttoned the older woman's blazer and allowed it to fall to the floor, a very uncharacteristic action on her part. She pulled Olivia's shirt over her head, and then unbuttoned her slacks. Once Olivia, too, was completely naked, Casey purred, brushing her fingertips across her wife's abs. Olivia inhaled sharply, and met the attorney's emerald gaze. "My sex kitten," she murmured, reaching for Casey's wrists and gently pinning them to the bed. "Don't make me handcuff you."

"Is that a threat or a promise?" Casey asked, her emerald eyes sparkling with mischief as she gazed up at her wife. She wrapped her arms around Olivia's neck again, and once more pulled her closer. These were the moments that the attorney most cherished. Of course, she loved having rather kinky sex at times, but it was their tender moments as a couple that she most enjoyed.

"Wait and see," Olivia answered breathlessly. Without breaking their gaze, Olivia leaned down and placed a trail of kisses down the younger woman's neck. Hearing Casey moan elicited a soft groan from the detective. "If I had to choose between being without you and dying, you know what I would choose?" Seeing the curious arch of Casey's eyebrow, Olivia smiled. "I would choose death," she murmured.

"Oh, come on, babe. That is not romantic," Casey answered. "I mean I guess it is because you're saying that you never want to be without me, and I feel the same way of course, but death and sex don't really mix...unless you're having an orgasm and that becomes fatal or..." She was cut off by a passionate kiss from Olivia, and her words turned into a muffled whimper.

Olivia growled quietly and resumed her trail of kisses down the younger woman's neck, her hands cupping each of Casey's breasts. She squeezed gently, but firmly, and Casey instantly arched her body, closing her eyes and allowing her head to fall back against the pillows. Olivia pulled back suddenly, and Casey opened her eyes, looking up at her. "Don't stop," she begged softly.

"I'm not," Olivia responded. She looked down and met Casey's pleading gaze with a tender smile. "I love you with everything I have, Casey," she added. "You are my princess."

Casey reached up and gently tugged on the older woman's dark brown locks. She brushed her fingertips across Olivia's bare chest and let out a quiet purr of contentment, her love for the older woman filling her heart and soul.

Olivia reached for the lamp beside the bed and pulled on the cord, so that the light turned off, and the room was engulfed in darkness. The only illumination came from the glittering lights of Manhattan, which shone through the bedroom window. Olivia kissed Casey passionately, her fingertips walking across the younger woman's body. Casey moaned softly, goosebumps immediately rising on her flesh in response to the detective's touch.

Olivia's fingers continued to trail across her body, until reaching the attorney's thighs. Feeling a gentle tap on her legs, Casey recognized her wife's instruction to open her legs, and she obeyed, though only opening them slightly. Olivia smiled. "What is my princess in the mood for tonight?" she inquired.

"Everything," Casey murmured. "I need you, Olivia. I need you more than anything."

In lieu of response, Olivia positioned herself at the foot of the bed. Gently pushing Casey's legs apart further, she raked her nails across the younger woman's inner thighs. She looked up at the attorney for consent, and Casey reached down, tugging on the older woman's hair in affirmation. She closed her eyes, resting her head on the stack of pillows Olivia had arranged for her. Seconds later, she felt Olivia's tongue on her clit, and she instantly moaned the older woman's name.

Olivia seemed to take Casey's inability to decide what she wanted to heart. She gently sucked on the younger woman's clit, and Casey let out a surprised whimper when she felt her wife's fingers penetrate her. She arched her body higher off of the bed, as first one finger entered her, then three. The fingers of Olivia's right hand worked expertly inside of her, bringing her closer to the edge with each passing second.

"Casey," Olivia whispered, the feel of her hot breath sending shivers throughout the attorney's body, her arousal curling within her. Casey could only whimper in response, her fingers threading through the detective's hair pleadingly. She growled softly, and that, in conjunction with the sweet torture she was inflicting on Casey's body, sent the redhead over the edge.

With one hand gripping the older woman's hair tightly, and the other yanking on the sheets, Casey succumbed to an incredible orgasm. As whimpers dissolved into moans, and moans crescendoed into screams of ecstasy, the attorney came in her wife's mouth, her unintelligible pleas echoing long after Olivia had finished her. And when she was finished, Olivia gently bit into her clit one last time, kissed her inner thighs, and looked up into her eyes.

"I love you," Casey managed to murmur between breathless pants as Olivia kissed her.

"I love you too, beautiful, and I promise you that I am nowhere near done with you." Olivia kissed her once more, then laid down beside her, allowing Casey to catch her breath.

After several moments, when Casey had regained her breath, and her ability for rational thought, she turned to her wife, propping herself up on one side. "I've been a bad girl," she purred.

"What else is new?" Olivia responded, chuckling. The detective smiled and kissed the younger woman again. "Wait here. I have another surprise." Before Casey could respond, the older woman had stood up and exited the bedroom. She returned several minutes later, and walked over to Casey's side of the bed. "Are you ready for your surprise?" the detective inquired.

Casey nodded, half scared, half excited. She sat up slowly, her gaze traveling down her wife's body. It stopped suddenly at the detective's hips, and she gasped when she saw that her wife was still completely naked, except for one thing: the enormous strap on around her hips. All Casey's jaw could do was drop.

_Author's note: Well, I promised explicit. I actually enjoy delving into Olivia's tender side occasionally. What did everyone think? Review and let me know. I'm trying to decide whether to make the next chapter about the strap on, or to just end it here. Only you can decide. Let me know. Please review and answer, and also tell me what you thought. Thanks for reading =)._


	49. Chapter 9--Olivia's Secret

_Author's note: Okay, the feedback has it. I received multiple private messages last night answering the poll I opened up at the end of the last chapter. The question of a strap on scene versus moving on was the topic, and the strap on scene won the most votes. I am not one who normally publishes multiple sex scenes, at least not consecutively. After all, that would give the story the opportunity to turn into a porn story, rather than an intriguing plot line. But in this case, it fits well with the plot, and that, in conjunction with the fact that this scene won the most votes, has made me decide to write it after all. I decided to write it from Olivia's point of view, to capture her feelings and her thoughts. It is also imperative that this chapter is from Olivia's point of view, as it will prove to be the key to understand the next few chapters. Please read and review, and thanks for reading. _

Olivia smiled at Casey's dropped jaw, and with two fingers, she gently closed the younger woman's mouth. "You're so beautiful," she murmured, kissing Casey gently on the lips. "I love you more than life itself, Casey."

"I love you too," Casey answered softly, and Olivia could see by the look in the redhead's emerald green eyes that she was still surprised. This was not their first time making love with a strap on, but Olivia still managed to catch Casey off guard with it. It was something from which the detective took a considerable amount of pride.

Without saying another word, Olivia reached for Casey's hand and gently pushed her onto her back, pinning her to the bed. "Are you sure?" the brunette asked, gazing into Casey's eyes. There was the principle of implied consent, which Olivia applied to everything else they did in bed. But when it came to toys, she always made sure that Casey was truly ready, and that she truly wanted it.

"I'm sure," Casey answered. She wrapped her arms around Olivia's neck, her legs tangling around the older woman's waist. Their eyes met in a passionate gaze, and Olivia swore her heart stopped beating for a split second. Casey was the only woman who had ever evoked that strong of a response from her, and it was for that reason that Olivia was so determined to make her happy.

"Okay, baby," Olivia whispered. She looked down at Casey's legs, still wrapped around her waist, and she smiled, brushing a stray red curl out of the younger woman's eyes. Reaching for Casey's wrists, she pinned them at either side of her body. Leaning down, she kissed Casey passionately, penetrating her gently with the enormous toy.

Casey let out a quiet gasp, and her fingers immediately threaded in Olivia's dark brown hair. Olivia groaned softly in response, her breath catching in her throat. Keeping Casey's wrists pinned, Olivia promised that she would punish her properly and ensure that she didn't come until she was ready to let her do so. If there was one thing she loved about her wife, it was how submissive she was. That thought in mind, the detective smiled and pulled back, watching as Casey opened her eyes and looked up at her pleadingly, wondering why she had suddenly stopped before even starting. "Are you going to be a good girl?" Olivia purred, leaning down and placing a series of gentle kisses on the younger woman's neck.

"Yes, Olivia," Casey moaned, and Olivia struggled to retain her composure. She knew she was not going to last long. One look at the beautiful woman beneath her, pleading with her, told her that much. Keeping Casey's wrists pinned, Olivia penetrated her once more, and she groaned when the attorney whimpered her name. The attorney continued to plead with her, adding that she needed Olivia more than anything.

Olivia wanted to take things slow, but that plan had quickly been shattered, and hearing Casey's whimpers encouraged her. Reaching for Casey's hips, she continued to thrust into her, increasing rapidly in speed and depth. "Come for me, beautiful," the detective ordered breathlessly, gently biting into Casey's right breast. "Now."

In that moment, Casey obeyed. Olivia groaned as her wife yanked on her hair and dug her nails into her skin. Hearing Casey's screams dissolved any rational thought in the brunette's mind, and as Casey came, Olivia did as well. As Casey relaxed beneath her, Olivia sighed and pulled back once more. She pulled the covers over Casey's naked body and sat down beside her. "That was amazing," she murmured, kissing the younger woman passionately.

"It was incredible," Casey answered, returning the kiss. She exhaled slowly, and Olivia knew that the attorney was fighting to regain her breath. "Do you want a drink? I'm going to make myself some tea, and if you want a beer, I can get you one while I'm downstairs."

"Casey." Olivia sighed and reached for the attorney's hands, taking them in hers as she gazed into the younger woman's eyes. "I don't want a beer," she replied.

Casey nodded, clearly not catching on. "Do you want coffee or soda? Or water?"

Olivia closed her eyes, letting out a low groan of frustration. If there had been a card for this type of conversation, or an easier way to break the news, she would have certainly utilized either alternative. But she knew that neither existed, and that she was going to have to pull herself together and tell the truth. But first, she stood up from the bed, walking over to the closet. A few moments later, she emerged carrying Casey's favorite robe. "Put this on," she ordered. "It's cold outside."

"Okay," Casey answered slowly. She sat up on the bed and took the robe from Olivia, pulling it on. Once it was tied, she looked at her wife and folded her arms across her chest. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Olivia answered quickly. Mentally, she kicked herself, realizing that Casey would surely see through the lie. The detective sighed deeply and pulled on her own robe, then perched on the edge of the bed. "Do you love me, Casey?" she asked, still unable to look at her wife.

"What kind of question is that?" Casey responded. "I married you, I'm pregnant with our second child, and I allow you to do whatever you want to me. And my heart is permanently branded with your name. So you tell me, Olivia, do I love you?"

Olivia shook her head. "I just had to make sure. Love makes these kinds of things easier."  
>"What kinds of things?" Casey demanded from behind her. Without looking, Olivia knew that the younger woman was on the verge of tears. The quiver in her voice gave that much away, and all it did was make Olivia feel worse. "Are you trying to leave me, is that it? Because if you are, then so help me God, Olivia, I will never speak to you again. And if that is the case, then I hope you can tell me what I did wrong."<p>

"I'm not leaving you!" Olivia exclaimed. "God, Casey, why can't you just figure it out for yourself? Figure it out for yourself, and then I won't have to say it, and hell, life might be a hell of lot fucking simpler." The detective stood up abruptly, and stormed over to the window. Parting the curtains, she stared outside at the city below and sighed. "Do you think this is easy for me?"

Casey sighed. "How can I know whether it is easy or not when I don't even know what the hell you are talking about?" she demanded. "And if I could figure it out for myself, that would be fantastic, but I guess I'm just too stupid to do so, right?" She scoffed and turned away.

Olivia turned to look, and sighed when she realized that their roles had switched. Now it was Casey's back turned, and the detective felt a lump grow in her heart, quickly rising to her throat. "Just forget it," she muttered. "I'm sorry I said anything. You said you wanted tea right? I'll make you some, and I'll get a beer while I'm down there."

After kissing Casey gently, Olivia exited the bedroom and made her way downstairs. She sighed as she entered the kitchen and began preparing their drinks. As she did so, she muttered to herself. "Why is she so damn difficult? I feel like I'm talking to a freaking China doll half the time. I don't know who decided that the truth is the best remedy, because in case the world has failed to realize, the truth often gets us in more trouble than simply lying. I could lie to her. I could make up a bogus excuse. It can't hurt her any more than the truth." The detective sighed and bit her lip thoughtfully as she removed the tea bags from the pot and poured the liquid into Casey's favorite cup. She continued to rant to herself.

"I don't know how Elliot ever did it. I don't know how he balanced being married and being a cop, because there is no way in hell that those two occupations were ever meant to cross. You're either hurting the one you love or you're hurting yourself, or both." Olivia shook her head in self disgust as she added a hint of mint flavoring to Casey's tea. Once the tea was finished, she stirred it one last time, retrieved a beer for herself from the refrigerator, and placed both drinks on a small tray. "The truth," she murmured to herself. "I will tell her the truth."

Reaching the bedroom, drink tray in hand, Olivia realized that Casey was not in bed. She heard the shower water running and sighed, placing the tray on the nightstand. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she closed her eyes, and waited for Casey to emerge from the bathroom. She waited for twenty minutes, then Casey entered the bedroom. Olivia looked up, expecting her wife to be dressed in a towel only, as she normally was after a shower. She was shocked to see that the redhead had gotten fully dressed, wearing her favorite black nightgown, over which she wore her robe.

"I made your tea," Olivia offered gently, gesturing to the tray on the nightstand next to Casey's side of the bed. "I see you got dressed," she added.

Casey shrugged. "Like you said. It's too cold to sleep naked." She sat down tentatively beside Olivia. "Thanks for the tea," she murmured.

"You're welcome," Olivia replied. "Listen, I'm sorry for what I said. I really am, Case. I don't know why I said that. How could you figure something out without any clues? I've given you nothing, and it was unfair of me to even think that you should know what is going on. I love you."

"It doesn't feel like that lately, Olivia. You've been distant for weeks. Tonight was just the climax of the mystery novel, and you know what? I still cannot figure out the mystery, because I haven't the slightest idea what is going on."

Olivia nodded, and sighed. She was feeling worse with each passing second. Even the words she had ranted in the kitchen came back to bite her, making her feel extremely guilty, and she knew that she was a lousy wife. "There's something I need to tell you," she began. "I found out weeks ago, and it has taken me this long to grow the spine to tell you. Even now I'm not sure how to tell you, because I know how much it is going to hurt you."  
>"Just tell me, Olivia. I can handle it, babe. I can handle anything except your declaration that you don't want me anymore."<p>

Olivia managed a tiny smile. "That is the one thing I will never say to you," she replied. She took Casey's hands once more and gazed into her eyes. "I found out, several weeks ago that..." The detective trailed off. She took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and continued. "Casey, Alex is leaving town again. She's leaving in a few weeks, and she said that she is never coming back. She asked me to stay with her for that amount of time, to help her pack and to finalize our goodbye."

Olivia watched as the realization of what she was saying flashed across Casey's features. The attorney's face became a map, a map that revealed her anger. First, her emerald eyes darkened, becoming nearly black. Her skin flushed even paler than usual, if that was possible. Finally, her jaw set and she narrowed her eyes, staring back at Olivia. "You have got to be kidding me," was all she said, and Olivia knew she was trying to control her anger.

"Casey, I'm sorry. I told her I would do it. I thought about offering to let her come here, but I realized that it would not be fair to you or Samantha."

"And going to her place is?" Casey demanded. She turned away, disgusted. "I can't believe I didn't figure this out for myself. You were right, after all, Olivia. I'm stupid."

"Hear me out, Casey!" Olivia pleaded. "It will give her a sense of closure. She's moving to Illinois, and she will never be back. You will never have to worry about her again. This will be the last time she and I ever see each other, and it will be the last amount of time we ever spend together."

Casey shook her head. "Just go," she muttered. "Go, okay? I think that was your plan along. Have sex with me, get me in a vulnerable state, and then drop this enormous bomb into my heart. Well, it worked. Your plan succeeded, and all I can say is, I hope you're satisfied. Enjoy your time with her."

"Wait, you think-" Olivia sighed as the truth of Casey's thoughts dawned on her. "Casey, I'm not sleeping with her one last time if that's what you think. I'll just be there, talking to her, spending just a little bit of time with her. It will never go any further than that. Don't you trust me?"

"I trust you. I don't trust your heart," Casey responded coldly. "For all I know, I'm your second choice. Your first choice is back and waiting with open arms. Everyone knows it, Olivia. I'm the one who has been in denial. Go, if you want. But take this with you." As she spoke, she slid her wedding ring off of her finger and tossed it into Olivia's lap. "Give it to her, if you want. I'm sure you can ignore our intertwined initials."

Casey tried to stand up, but Olivia grabbed her suddenly, thwarting her efforts. "Casey, listen to me!" she ordered. Casey tried to pull away, but Olivia was too strong for her, and after a few moments, the attorney remained still. She took Casey's ring and placed it on the nightstand, though she had every intention of placing it on her wife's finger once their conversation was resolved. "If she was my first choice, do you really think I would be sitting here with your initials on my ring? I loved her once. I told you that. I can't deny that without making myself look like a bumbling idiot. But I don't love her anymore. I love you and only you, and if you can't see that after everything we have been through, then I honestly don't know what to tell you."

Casey resumed struggling, and finally managed to wrench her arm free. "Fine. But that doesn't change the fact that you're going over there, or the fact that you'll be there for weeks. I know that you want to say goodbye to her, but those weeks are going to feel like years, okay? And when am I supposed to see you? During work?" She sighed, catching the fleeting look on Olivia's face. "Great. I'll be getting visitation rights with my freaking wife. That's just perfect." Shaking her head, the attorney laid on her back and stared up at the ceiling, folding her hands across her slightly swollen stomach.

Olivia laid down next to her, propping up on one side. "Casey, you have to know that this is as hard for me as it is for you. I don't want to leave your side, baby, but at the same time, I need to be with her, to say goodbye. It's only a few weeks, and then you will never have to worry about her again, okay? I'll call you and Samantha every night, even two or three times per night. I promise I'll make this up to you."

"You can try," Casey murmured, cracking a smile for the first time since Olivia revealed the truth.

"I have my ways," Olivia replied, taking Casey into her arms. She was relieved when the younger woman did not pull away, and she kissed the top of her wife's head. "I love you."

Casey allowed herself to melt in the older woman's arms, and she sighed, burying her head in the detective's chest. "I love you more than anything. But when are you leaving?" When she didn't receive an answer for several moments, she lifted her head and gazed into Olivia's eyes. "When are you leaving?" she asked again.

Olivia sighed deeply, and replied "Tomorrow."

_Author's note: Please review. Also, I made a companion video for the first section of this story, and the link is in my biography. I would love to know what everyone thinks of the chapter and the video, so please review =). Thanks for reading._


	50. Chapter 10- A New Perspective

_Author's note: I received quite a few nasty messages regarding the last chapter, and two people removed the story from their alerts list. Things cannot be a fairy tale all the time. This is the sequel, but it still has the same theme as the first story: the strength of love in the face of hardship. I could have had someone die, I could have had someone be raped. Instead, I chose to have someone prove to be the emotional barrier in their relationship. If that offends anyone, I do apologize. I acknowledge my mistake, and I hope this chapter rectifies it. Thank you for reading. Please review, and forgive me. _

The following evening, Olivia crossed her legs beneath the table and looked at Alex. "It's your move," she pointed out, gesturing to the fact that she had moved her queen three spaces to the right.

Alex sighed and stared at the pieces, clearly contemplating her next move. After several moments, she moved her bishop, blocking her own queen from Olivia's efforts to capture it. "Olivia, are you alright?" she inquired.

Olivia looked up, having been studying her pieces once more. "I'm fine," she answered abruptly. She sighed and moved her castle six spaces forward. "Checkmate," she announced.

"Damn," Alex murmured. "That was the third game, and you beat me again."

"I know how it feels," Olivia remarked. "Casey destroys me every single time we play. It's almost as if she has devised a master plan that cannot be thwarted." She paused when she saw the look on Alex's face, and realized the implications of what she had just said. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said that." The detective kicked herself mentally. Angering two attorneys in less than twenty four hours had to be some sort of record.

Alex shrugged. "Don't worry about it," she answered calmly. Standing up, she walked into the kitchen and looked over at Olivia from the top of the counter that separated them. "Honestly, Olivia, I was surprised when you agreed to come. I had already prepared myself for a negative answer."

Olivia sighed deeply, folding her hands on top of the table, unintentionally knocking many of the chess pieces to the floor in the process. "Part of me told me that I should not come. I knew how much it would hurt Casey, but I also knew how much it would hurt you if I didn't spend this last bit of time together. There is no compromise in this situation. I did everything I could to break the news to Casey gently, but I think in the process, I broke her heart even more." The detective sighed again, scratching her temple. "Hurting someone has always made me feel like a total prick, but last night, I practically saw her heart break, and the worst part was, I only dug my heels in deeper. I'll be lucky if I am not sent divorce papers after what I said to her."

Alex poured two glasses of wine and walked into the dining room, handing one to Olivia. She reclaimed her seat across from the detective, and sipped her wine, staring at Olivia intently. "I'm sure she will forgive you, Olivia. What exactly did you say to her?"  
>"Before or after I implied that she was stupid for not being able to decipher my illogical ranting?" Olivia responded. She shook her head. "I'm pathetic."<p>

"She thinks you came here to have sex with me, doesn't she?" Alex asked, though it was a statement, and they both knew it. "Does she think I'm some sort of home wrecker? God. Think of it this way. She's the jilted wife, you're the cheating husband, and I am the mistress."

Olivia shook her head at the analogy, and swallowed half of her wine in one gulp. This was not her first glass that evening, and she was already starting to feel a little fuzzy. "Like I said, there is no compromise in this case. There is no conceivable way to please both of you. I know you're not my mistress, and you know that. But she doesn't. She sees it as me visiting a past lover, and under the circumstances, I would be lying if I said I blame her."

"If the situation were reversed, I would probably feel the same way," Alex admitted. "Hell, I have been feeling that way since I first found out about you two."

Olivia nodded slowly, draining the rest of her wine. "That's why I came here. I thought it would provide closure for both of us, but in the meantime, it is destroying my relationship with Casey. But I felt like I owed it to you, and to what we once were. I thought if I came here, we could both move on, and make a clean goodbye. I thought we could spend your past few weeks together, just as you requested. After all, is that not the definition of a best friend?" The detective realized she was rambling, but half of her was too drunk to think logically, and the other half was too upset. In all, the two halves combined into a very frazzled mind.

Alex listened to her intently, and remained silent until Olivia had finished speaking. "Olivia, I can't tell you what to do. However, I will offer my two cents worth on this, whether you want it or not. I asked you to come here for the same reason you agreed to come. But..." She trailed off, and took a small sip of her own wine, before setting the glass on the table. "Anyone who sees you and Casey together would have to be blind to not see the love that radiates between you two. I'll miss you more than anything, but I want you to go home. I'm incredibly grateful that you came tonight, and that you were willing to spend these last few weeks with me. It's not worth breaking up your marriage, though. So go home. Just promise me we can get together for one last drink before I leave."

"Alex-" Olivia protested, though she knew her protesting would prove to be in vain.

Alex shook her head. "Go home, Olivia," she repeated. "Go home to Casey and your daughter, because seeing you hurt in turn hurts me, and because I will not be the home wrecker that I am clearly thought to be."

Olivia sighed again, and she wondered if it was possible to run out of breath from sighing too many times. If so, she was certainly close to doing so. She could see that it would be futile to argue with Alex. If there was one thing she had learned over the course of their relationship, it was the attorney's stubbornness. "Are you sure?" she asked. She immediately remembered asking that same question to Casey not twenty four hours earlier. It was strange how the same words could have such very different meanings, she thought.

"I'm sure," Alex replied. "You have a wife and child to get home to. Asking you to come here was a mistake. I was thinking with my heart instead of my head, and it led my logic awry."

Olivia nodded slowly. "Alright," she murmured. She stood up slowly, at the same time as Alex. She pulled the other woman closer, embracing her in a hug that was purely full of the feelings that only best friends shared. "I'll call you tomorrow," she promised, reaching for her coat and pulling it on. Once the buttons were fastened, the detective pulled her hair out of the jacket and walked over to the door, escorted by Alex.

Alex in turn nodded. "I'll be waiting. We can go out tomorrow night if you like, since it is Saturday. Olivia, I just have one request."

Fearing the nature of the request, Olivia turned and faced her, removing her hand from the doorknob. "Anything," she answered cautiously.

Alex smiled. "Bring your wife."

_Author's note: For those who don't hate me, and who still care enough to have read this chapter, thank you. And please review, letting me know what you thought. Thanks for reading =)._


	51. Chapter 11- Home is Where the Heart Is

Casey had fallen asleep on the couch, Samantha in her arms. Hearing her daughter suddenly cry out, Casey immediately opened her eyes, fearing that the baby was hurt. Before she could respond, however, Samantha cried out "Momma!"

Casey sighed softly, and stroked her daughter's hair, which was rapidly growing, like the rest of her. "Honey, listen," she murmured, though she knew Samantha would not understand more than a few words. She knew, after all, that babies, especially at Samantha's age, responded to tone of voice more than anything, and so the redhead tried to steady her voice. It was cracked from hours of crying, on and off again. "Momma's not here," she murmured.

But Samantha, as expected, did not understand her, and instead she cried out "Momma!" again.

"Sweetie-" Casey broke off when her gaze reached the entryway between the foyer and the living room. Olivia was standing there, watching them intently. Casey shook her head. "So the baby was not hallucinating after all," she commented icily. "Did you come home to pick up your house key? It's on the kitchen table."

"Casey." Olivia sighed and entered the living room. Casey noticed that she was still wearing her coat, and she was far too upset to realize the logical explanation. The detective walked closer, and sat down in the recliner next to the sofa that Casey and the baby occupied. "Listen to me. I did not come home for my key. I came home because I was an idiot for even thinking about leaving. I was only at Alex's for a couple of dozen hours, and I couldn't stop thinking about you and our baby. My mind played the visual of you throwing your wedding ring at me as if it was on a constant loop."

Casey remained silent for several moments. Finally, she answered "My mind has been playing that moment on a constant loop too." The redhead sighed, and sat up slowly, making sure Samantha was safe and comfortable in her arms. As her daughter cooed, she smiled softly and kissed the top of the head to comfort her. "You still haven't explained what made you come home."

Olivia sighed deeply, folding her hands, interlocking her fingers. Casey recognized it as a sign that the older woman was frustrated. "I played chess with Alex, and we talked for several hours. No matter what we did, though, I could not get you out of my head, and she could see that. Finally, she got fed up and told me to come home." Seeing the look on Casey's face, the detective quickly continued. "I had been thinking about that all along, but I was torn, Casey. I was torn between saying goodbye to her and being with you, and I knew there was no way out. Ironically, my self justification for going to her proved to be the exact same thought that entered my mind regarding you. Anyway, after she told me to go home, I had another glass of wine and then another, and then I talked to her. We discussed exactly what I am telling you now, regarding the extremely difficult decision facing me. I do not make excuses, Casey. I know that no amount of justification could erase what happened last night."

Casey listened thoughtfully, sighing. She shook her head. "Olivia, I understand where you are coming from. But that does not make any of this okay. You left my bed to go to your former lover's apartment. It was a final goodbye, and I understand that, but I cannot believe you would do that to me, and to our child. Samantha cried for you all night. And after I got her to sleep, I had to hold her, because she would scream if I tried to put her down. She would scream 'Momma'. She wanted you, Olivia. I wanted you."

"I know." Olivia sighed, and unfolded her hands, looking at the younger woman and their baby.

"Once she finally fell asleep last night, I laid awake, watching the clock. Two hours after you left, I started thinking, and you know what I thought about? My mind was plagued with images of you in her bed, Olivia. It was plastered with thoughts of you two doing everything that I've never known how to do, and then of course I started thinking about how I'm like a freaking novice in all of this. I mean, you two are extremely experienced lesbians. She knows things I could never know. I thought about that. Then I couldn't stop myself from wondering if it was those things that you were doing together. I trust you, Olivia. And it's not that I don't trust her. I just don't trust love. I don't..." Casey sighed, and bit her lip thoughtfully, her next words swarming in her mind. She continued, her voice becoming choked. "I don't trust past feelings. You two did not break up because you fell out of love. You broke up because she went into the Witness Protection Program, and try as you might, you cannot deny the fact that those are two very different circumstances. Tragedy brings people together. That is something that cannot be disputed. So I laid awake, thinking about my wife in another woman's bed. I felt inadequate before, but last night, and all of today was the ultimate validation. I know in my mind that you would never cheat on me, but you have to understand that my heart has a completely different idea of what goes on in the world. Anyway, my ranting and raving aside, I understand why you went, but it does not change how much you hurt me. Nothing can change that."

Olivia nodded as she listened. Once Casey was finished speaking, the detective reached over and tilted the younger woman's chin, gazing into her emerald eyes. "If I live to be a million years old, I will never stop finding ways to make it up to you," she promised. "I am so sorry. I made a really stupid mistake, but I promise I will fix it, whether you want me to or not."

Casey looked from Olivia to their daughter and back again. "What do you think, Samantha? Should we forgive Momma?" she asked.

"Momma!" Samantha replied. She reached out for Olivia, and Casey gently handed her to her wife. "Momma," Samantha cooed again, reaching for a lock of Olivia's hair.

"Like mother like daughter," Olivia observed with a soft smile, her right hand supporting the back of their daughter's head. "She's so beautiful. Just like her mommy."

"Alright, enough with the kissing up," Casey answered, though she did manage to crack a tiny smile. "Olivia, I'm not going to lie and say I am not mad anymore, nor am I even going to begin to claim that I am not hurt. But it's not worth coming between us. It's not worth me losing my wife and Samantha losing her mother. I am not ready to say I forgive you, nor do I think I will be anytime soon. But we can take a few steps forward, and overcome this together."

Olivia kissed Samantha's head, and Casey noticed it was the same spot she herself had kissed earlier. The detective looked over at the younger woman, and smiled as Casey met her gaze once more. "I understand that you can't forgive me yet. Hell, how can you forgive me when I cannot even forgive myself?"

"Mmhm," Casey murmured. She reached for the tea she had made earlier, which was currently resting on a coaster atop the coffee table. She took a tiny sip and winced, realizing that the once near scalding liquid had turned frigid. "I need to reheat that," she said, standing up.

"I'll do it," Olivia offered. With a soft smile, she took the drink from Casey and entered the kitchen. A few minutes later, she returned, Samantha on one arm and the tea in her free hand. She handed it to Casey. "Careful. It is rather hot. I put it in for an extra thirty seconds, which I see now was thirty seconds too long."

Casey took the cup gingerly, and placed it on the coaster before her palm could respond to the heat. The steam rising from the burning liquid was enough of an indicator. "I'll let it cool down," she murmured, more to herself than Olivia. She looked into the older woman's eyes and sighed. "So what all happened when you told her you were ready to leave?"

"Well, I knew she was disappointed, but try to remember the fact that she is the one who verbally suggested that I come back home. I saw it in her eyes, Casey. She was disappointed, but she was being sincere. She does not want to break up our marriage. She does not want me in her bed, and she does not want to be a home wrecker. You truly have no reason to feel threatened by her. Think about it this way. You're the one with the ring on your finger."

Neither woman bothered to point out the fact that the ring in question was still resting on the dresser in their bedroom. Instead, Casey merely shrugged. She sighed, and slowly lowered herself to the couch. Once she was seated, she crossed her legs and looked up at her wife, who was still standing with the baby. "Please sit with me," she murmured. As Olivia followed her request, Casey turned and faced her. "So I guess imagining you screaming in ecstasy in her bedroom was just a vivid hallucination?" she asked. She was only partially kidding.

Olivia nodded, exhaling sharply as she chuckled softly. "Yes, Casey. I promise you that nothing happened." She reached for a stray red curl that had fallen into Casey's eyes, and brushed it out of her face. "Back to your question. Like I said earlier, I had a few more glasses of wine, and we talked for a bit. Then she insisted again that I return home, and I realized that it was truly for the best. She said she understood, and that it was okay."

Casey gazed into Olivia's beautiful chocolate brown eyes as the older woman spoke, and she could not help but feel her love for the detective swell within her heart. For a moment, its power made her wonder if she was dying. Once she had managed to regain her composure, she replied "Olivia, I'm sorry. I should have never thought of you two like that, and I especially should not have thought that you would betray our love for her. God, she must hate me."

"On the contrary, she thinks you hate her," Olivia responded. Seeing Casey's questioning look, the detective explained. "She thinks that you feel like the jilted wife, which is true, if you think about it. The point is, I explained how you feel to her, and she understood. It was after that that I realized that it was time to come home and comfort you. One crisis was averted, and I had a wife and baby to get home. And before you ask, no, I did not drive myself. She drove me, alright?"

"Okay," Casey answered. "I am glad to hear it, since for one thing, you're a cop, and if you don't follow the law, we're all screwed. And beyond that, when it comes time to teach Samantha how to drive, I do not feel like saying 'Don't drink and drive, honey, but if you decide to after all, learn how from Momma Olivia, because she did it and survived." As she spoke, the redhead cracked a sincere smile for the first time since Olivia dropped the truth bomb twenty eight hours before. "Did she say anything else?"

"Yes. She told me she wants to meet for drinks tomorrow night." Seeing Casey's gaze fall, Olivia lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "She wants me to bring you."

"Oh." Casey met her wife's gaze and thought about the opportunities for a moment. Realizing that this could be the beginning of a true friendship with the woman that was once her biggest rival, in bed and in the courtroom, the redhead accepted the invitation.

Olivia grinned. "Perfect. I get to show off my beautiful wife tomorrow night." She kissed Casey gently, handed Samantha to her wife, and stood up, balancing herself by placing her hands on her thighs. "I'll be right back," she announced suddenly. Without giving Casey a chance to question her, the detective turned and ascended the stairs. A few minutes later, she returned, her fist closed around something that Casey could not see. Ignoring the younger woman's confused expression, she knelt to the floor, groaning as she did so. "I'm getting too old for this," she murmured. Then, looking into Casey's eyes, she smiled. "Casey Elizabeth Novak-Benson, my beautiful bride. Will you marry me?" she asked, and she unfurled her first, revealing the ring that meant so much to Casey.

Casey gasped, this moment catching her as off guard as the night Olivia proposed for the first time. "Yes, Olivia, of course I will," she murmured.

Olivia smiled and slid the ring onto Casey's left ring finger. She kissed it gently, then brushed another lock out of the redhead's eyes, titled her chin, and kissed her deeply and passionately. Samantha cooed from Casey's arms, and though she was still incredibly hurt, Casey found her heart skipping a beat. It was the response it had always and would always endure in response to Olivia's love. "I'm sorry," Olivia whispered, barely breaking the kiss.

"I know," Casey replied softly. She couldn't bring herself to total forgiveness yet, but she was able to whisper "I love you."


	52. Chapter 12- Three's Company

_Author's note: I find myself saying this a lot lately, but I am sorry for the long update break. I had every intention of publishing Friday night, and then again last night. The problem is, I've been dealing with major relationship issues in real life, and it has clouded my creativity. The issues are still there, but I realized this morning that they are never going to go away, and that it should not interfere with my favorite thing in the world: writing. That being said, here is the next chapter. Than you for reading my incessant monologuing, and of course, the chapter =). Please review._

"This is insane," Casey said as she tossed yet another dress onto the bed. Under normal circumstances, the rapidly growing pile of clothing would have driven her to a cleaning binge, but at the moment, she was far too stressed to even notice. She sighed as she grabbed another dress from the hanger, this one a simple black dress with a hem that reached her knees and a bust that dipped to reveal a mere hint of cleavage. "I mean, I'm a pregnant blimp and Miss Walking Stick Figure is coming to dinner. Why? Because I invited her to our house. Why? Because I need my head examined. What kind of idiot invites their wife's ex to freaking dinner? On the idiot scale, that is the equivalent of bringing sunglasses to a volcanic eruption." The attorney continued to rant as she stormed into the bathroom. Leaving the door open so that she could continue talking, she slipped out of her towel, hung it up, and sighed. "I'm an idiot," she muttered again.

"You're not an idiot," Olivia called out from the bedroom. Casey had been adamant about refusing to let her into the bathroom while she was getting dressed. "You know, that dress is very pretty. I was hoping you would choose it for tonight."

"Don't change the subject!" Casey snapped. She huffed, and hooked her bra, adjusting its straps. "She suggested a restaurant, but me, well, I'm stupid, and I offered to let her come here. See what I mean? These pregnancy hormones are clouding my better judgment." Shaking her head in the mirror, Casey grabbed her pantyhose and, perching on the edge of the bathtub, finished pulling them on. "This is going to be extremely awkward, Olivia," the redhead added. She retrieved her dress from the hook on the door and slipped into it. Holding it up, she padded into the bedroom and turned around, standing in front of her wife.

Olivia, taking the hint, helped her zip it up. "I know it will be awkward for you, honey. It is going to be awkward for all of us. I, however, am trying not to think of it like that. Don't stress yourself out, sweetie. It is not good for you or the baby." The detective finished with the zipper and placed her palms on each of Casey's shoulders, turning the younger woman around to face her. "Listen. I know what you are afraid of. I know what you think is going to happen. However, I want you to push those thoughts out of that sexy mind of yours, because none of it will occur, alright?"

Casey shrugged. "I'm not worried about anything," she lied, stumbling over the mistruth. She sighed, and sat on the edge of the bed beside Olivia. Crossing her legs, she faced the older woman and gazed into her chocolate brown eyes. "I guess part of me is afraid that you are going to see her tonight, and she's going to look more beautiful than me. I mean that cannot be denied. Like I said, I'm a blimp, she's a stick figure. No one finds a blimp sexy. When was the last time you looked at a passing aircraft and wanted to jump into bed with it?"

Olivia chuckled, then brushed a stray red lock out of Casey's eyes. "A blimp is not sexy," she agreed. "But a blimp with beautiful red curls and emerald green eyes...that's one sexy blimp." To reiterate her point, she leaned closer and kissed Casey passionately. Wrapping her arms around the younger woman's neck, the brunette pulled her into her, groaning softly. After several passionate moments, she pulled back and smiled. "Finish getting dressed. I'll be here when you come out."  
>"Okay," Casey murmured dazedly. She stood, and paused when she noticed what her wife was wearing. "Is that your clothing for the evening?" she asked, gesturing to Olivia's choice of attire: simple black slacks, a forest green button down, and a black blazer."<p>

Olivia looked down at her clothes, then back at Casey, and smiled. "Why not?" she asked. "The only one I have to impress is you, and I know how sexy you find my work clothes."

Casey rolled her eyes. "Touche," she muttered, though she returned the smile. "In that case, you look great," she added. She checked the clock on the wall, noting that they had just over an hour before Alex would arrive. "I need to finish getting ready," she said. "Can you feed the baby?"

"Of course," Olivia answered. Standing, the brunette kissed the attorney once more. "I'll see you downstairs when you are finished."

As Olivia turned to leave, Casey called after her. "No chocolate this time! And that goes for you, too. If I come down there and find one smudge on that cake..."

"Oh, come on, baby. Just a taste?" Olivia asked. Her chocolate brown eyes lowered in a pout, and Casey was briefly reminded of an adorable, irresistable puppy dog.

But she quickly snapped out of it. "No. You can have dessert after you eat. Set a good example for our daughter." As she entered the bathroom once more, the attorney could not help but smile to herself. It sent a tiny thrill throughout her body to know that she had the upper hand for once.

Fifty minutes later, Casey unplugged her blow dryer, wrapped the cord neatly, and hung it on the rack. She ran the brush once more through her natural crimson curls, and checked her reflection in the mirror. Satisfied with the way her favorite lipstick complemented her bloodless complexion, she smiled and finished putting everything away. Entering the bedroom, she made her way into their enormous walk in closet, which was predominantly full of her own clothing. She had various looks: daytime, court time, nighttime. That took quite a bit of room, while Olivia had a signature look for almost everything. And, after all, her slacks and blazers occupied their own section of the closet, while her work shoes were arranged neatly below them, at Casey's insistence.

Shaking her head as she adjusted yet another pair of her wife's shoes, Casey retrieved the black pumps she had bought specifically for this evening. Slipping into them, she checked her reflection in the full length mirror one last time. Trying to ignore her rapidly growing stomach, she managed a tiny smile and exited the closet. She had a wife to get to and a guest to entertain.

Entering the kitchen, Casey smiled softly when she saw Olivia and Samantha at the table. Samantha was dressed in the adorable outfit Casey had bought her: a bubblegum pink dress with French lace, incredibly shiny black shoes, and a matching bonnet. "Oh my gosh, she's so adorable," the redhead exclaimed, walking over to them. She smiled and sat down beside the two people she loved most in the world. "Who's Mommy's girl?" she cooed, gently pressing on Samantha's nose.

"Me!" Samantha cried. Reaching for one of Casey's curls, she grabbed it and tugged it.

Casey smiled. "That's right. You're my little princess," she murmured, hugging her daughter gently. "Did you finish your peas?" she asked. Her gaze fell upon Samantha's plate. It was practically glimmering, as empty as it was. Casey giggled. "You definitely inherited Momma's appetite," she observed. "Good girl."

"Cake, Mommy, cake!"

"Did Momma tell you that?" Casey asked, shooting a playful glare at Olivia, who simply shrugged. "Well, I suppose, since you finished all of your dinner. But you'll have to wait until later." Just as she spoke, the doorbell rang, and Casey bit her lip harder than she meant to. "That will be Alex," she murmured. Turning back to her daughter, Casey gently lifted her out of her high chair. Looking at Olivia, she smiled softly. "Let's do this," she murmured.

Olivia nodded. Taking Casey's free hand, she led her wife and child out of the kitchen, through the living room, and into the foyer. Reaching the front door, the detective checked through the peep hole and squeezed Casey's hand reassuringly. The redhead nodded absentmindedly, and Olivia unbolted the front door, opening it. "Welcome, Alex. We are so glad you could make it. Come in."

The couple stepped aside to allow their guest to enter. Casey managed to smile through her nerves, and she briefly hoped it did not appear too phony. It was, after all, a sincere smile, albeit a worried one. As she had suspected, Alex was wearing a beautiful dress. With a halter bust that tied around her neck and a fabric that hugged her every curve, Casey could not help but notice how beautiful the blonde looked. It certainly did not help that her skin seemed to shine with a natural glow. "Alex," Casey murmured. "Welcome," she said, before realizing Olivia had already said that.

"Thank you for inviting me, Casey," Alex replied. She surveyed the foyer and its immediate surroundings and smiled. "Wow. Olivia wasn't kidding when she said you have a knack for decorating."

Casey nodded, unable to ignore the little spark of pride that shot through her upon hearing the other woman's compliment. "Well, if Olivia had it her way, the house would be a man cave."

Alex laughed. "That is very true," she agreed, and Casey fought to ignore the urge to reflect on how well the blonde knew her wife. "I'm sure she still managed to get some area of the house for that purpose."

"There is a second living room upstairs. When we bought the house, we compromised. I got to decorate the house, as long as she got that one area for herself. I'll show it to you later, if you like. Right now, it's getting late, dinner is getting cold, and there are a lot of things the three of us need to talk about."

"Hi!" Samantha chimed in. She had remained silent since Alex arrived, and Casey knew she had been trying to decide whether to trust her or not.

Alex looked at the baby on Casey's hips, and smiled. "Hi there, beautiful. You look just like your mommy." She looked from Casey to Olivia and back again. "Can I hold her?"

Casey didn't have a chance to answer. Before she could, Samantha was already leaning out of her arms, and she struggled to hold onto her to prevent her from dropping to the floor. By the time Samantha had half wiggled, half been placed in Alex's arms, Casey shook her head. "Well, Alex, you have made an excellent impression on yet another Benson," she remarked with a tiny smile. "Shall we eat?"

With Samantha tugging gently on her necklace, Alex nodded and followed Casey into the kitchen, Olivia close behind. Once everyone was seated and the first course had been served, Casey smiled. "I hope you like chicken alfredo, Alex," she said.

"I love it," Alex responded. Samantha was in her lap, as she had screamed every time Alex tried to put her down. "This looks really delicious, Casey. Thank you. And thank you for inviting me."

"We're glad to have you," Casey answered. She reached for a bottle of wine and handed it to the blonde. "You look great tonight," she said as Alex accepted the drink.

"Not nearly as great as you, Casey," Alex replied. She opened the wine and poured herself just over half of a glass. "Olivia, you look beautiful as well."

Casey was shocked to discover that she felt no jealousy at that comment. She just hoped it was as seductive as the night got. Olivia, who had barely spoken since Alex arrived, smiled and took the wine from her. "Thank you, Alex. You look very nice yourself." Sharing a brief look with Casey, the detective corked the wine, placed it in the center of the table, and lifted her fork. Apparently trying to avoid tension, she took a rather large bite of pasta.


	53. Chapter 13- Girl Talk

_Author's note: I've discovered two things within the past week. Number one is that trying to write when you're depressed, cold, and busy at the same time is a disaster. I actually had a different chapter than this one that was originally going to be published. Then I looked at it and thought 'This looks like a five year old wrote it'. The other thing that I have realized in the past week is the fact that I was a little unclear in a couple of the details of this story. After sorting through six private messages for the last chapter alone, I have decided to answer these questions in this author's note. First of all, Samantha is a year and a half. She is thus able to talk, but mostly in monosyllabic words and short phrases, which she has been doing. I also realized, through these private messages, that I was unclear about what happened to Casey's father. I thought this was correct at first, until I went back and re-read a couple of my previous chapters. For those who missed what happened to Mr. Novak, please re-read. I don't want to give any spoilers away. That being said, sorry for the long update break. My creative monkey for this story has been missing, and anyone who knows me knows that I don't write if it won't be good. But I am feeling creative tonight, so here we go. Thank you for reading my insanely long explanation. Off to the chapter. Thank you for reading, and reviews are greatly appreciated._

"I think I've lost my mind." Casey examined the glass in her hand and and shook her head. "Olivia, I can't tell if this is just the design of the glass, or if there is a crack. I mean, if I turn it one way, it looks like a crack, and if I turn it the other way, it appears to merely be a design on the glass."

Olivia took the cup and looked at it, holding it up to the light. Casey was well aware that her wife was using the opportunity to mock her, but she smiled rather than saying something. Vengeance came in the most unexpected packages, after all. "I think it's just the design," the detective remarked, running her fingers across the edge of the cup. It was something Casey would have never had the courage to do, for fear of being injured. Olivia nodded. "Just the design," she repeated, placing the cup back on the counter. "You worry too much."  
>"No, I just want everything to be perfect about tonight," Casey replied. "There is a difference between wanting everything to be perfect, and worrying about every little detail."<br>"Which you're doing anyway," Olivia pointed out. "Casey, relax. It is almost nine PM, and the house has not exploded yet. Wait, I think I hear something..." She trailed off, listening.

It took Casey a full minute to realize that her wife was messing with her. "Oh my god, you did not just do that to me." Seeing the gloating look on Olivia's face, Casey grabbed a cookie from the plate on the counter and chucked it at her. Olivia ducked just in time. Casey shook her head. "I'm not crazy. I'm just married to a crazy woman. It's called crazy by proxy. Yeah, that's it," she said, half talking to herself, half to Olivia.

Olivia retrieved the thrown cookie, which had somehow landed on the very edge of the counter. "I'll go feed this to Chocolate," she announced. "And when I get back, if one dish is washed, you're in trouble."

"Why?" Casey asked. "You've done a lot today, babe. It is my job to make dinner and then do the dishes, which I am."

"No. I want you to get off of your feet and go relax. I'll meet you and Alex in the game room when I'm finished. You need to take it easy, for your sake and the baby's."

Casey sighed. She knew that it would be futile to even attempt to argue. "Alright. You win. I'll see you upstairs." After sharing a passionate kiss with her wife, Casey entered the dining room and lifted Samantha out of her high chair. "Hello, Princess. What do you say we go find Auntie Alex and watch _Sleeping Beauty_?"

"Yay!" Samantha remarked, clapping. Casey smiled softly and carried her daughter out of the dining room, through the living room, and up the stairs. The game room was the first room that one entered upon taking the final step. Casey smiled when she saw Alex sitting on her favorite chaise.

"That chair has always been my favorite. Sometimes, when my back is really bothering me, I come up here and take short naps in it, because it provides good support."

Alex nodded. "It is very comfortable," she agreed. She looked over at Casey, her face breaking out in a wide grin when she saw Samantha. Samantha cried to be put down, and Casey obliged, watching as she stumbled over to Alex. As the blonde picked her up, Casey claimed the sofa in front of the wall opposite the stairwell. Alex smiled. "Dinner was delicious."  
>Casey returned the smile with one of her own. "Thank you. I love to cook. It's funny though. Olivia makes fun of me whenever I cook, because I stand quite a few feet away from the stove. I have horrible pyrophobia," she quickly explained. "Anyway...I am very happy that you came. I will speak candidly, and say that I was skeptical at first. This is a very complicated situation, and I feared that your presence would only amplify the complication."<p>

"I understand. If our situation were reversed, I would feel the same way. In fact, I have felt the same way, on more than one occasion."  
>Casey sighed, and crossed her legs. "When you got here, I had actually braced myself for a horrible evening. I actually told Olivia that if anything went wrong, I would take the baby and retreat to our bedroom. Although...I have to admit, it has been a nice evening. I mean, I don't even have to ask Samantha if she agrees," the attorney remarked. "Honey, don't tug on auntie's necklace like that."<p>

Alex laughed. "It's okay. I don't mind in the slightest." She looked over at Casey and smiled once more. "I agree. Tonight has gone surprisingly well. I think we both prepared ourselves for a full out bitch session between us, and clearly that is not what happened."

"I think that's what Olivia was expecting. Did you notice that she removed all pointy objects?" Casey asked, unable to hide her grin.

"I suppose it's her job to remove any hazardous materials," Alex added, chuckling.

Casey nodded. "Hey, haven't you realized? We're little teenagers who can't be trusted not to get into a catfight and kill each other the second she turns her back." At that, both women laughed until their sides hurt. Once everything was calm again, Casey shook her head and stood., walking over to the entertainment center. Retrieving the _Sleeping Beauty_ DVD from the third shelf, she popped it into the DVD player and grabbed the remote, re-claiming her seat on the couch. "Do you mind watching a fairy tale?" she asked. "It's one of Samantha's favorites."  
>"I don't mind at all," Alex answered. "Besides, there is some fun in watching Disney movies as an adult and finding all of the subliminal messages that little children are too innocent to pick up on."<p>

"Like the priest's nice little reaction to Ursula and Eric's marriage?" Casey asked.

"Let's not forget the fact that a mermaid and a human somehow consummated their marriage, despite a clear DNA barrier."

Casey giggled. "And the scene in...damn. I can't remember which movie, but one of them has a naked lady in the window."

Alex nodded. "I remember that! And then of course, there are all the lyrics in the supposed love songs."

"And who can overlook all of the princes' bulges?" Casey asked, smiling as she hit play on the DVD options menu. She stood up and turned all of the lights off. "I sometimes wonder why fairy tales are so horrible. Not only do you have all of the subliminal messaging, but there is the fact that most Disney movies give happy endings to stories that were originally gory and cruel."

"Definitely. Pretty women are the only saving grace to the Disney version of fairy tales," Alex remarked, and both women fell silent as the beginning movie credits stopped and the movie itself began.

During the cottage scene, Olivia made her way up the stairs and sat down beside Casey on the couch. "What did I miss?" she asked, kissing Casey on the cheek.

Casey, who knew how much her wife hated fairy tales, shrugged. "Aurora was just picking berries in the forest so that the fairies could prepare her surprise party." She laid her head on the older woman's shoulder. For the rest of the movie, no one spoke a single word.

Once the movie was over, Casey turned the lights back on. Samantha had fallen asleep in Alex's arms, curled up on her lap. Casey carried her to bed and kissed her goodnight, then set the baby monitor. Returning to the game room, she sat down beside Olivia and said "The baby is asleep. She's with her favorite elephant. Where is Chocolate?"  
>"In our room, on her bed," Olivia answered. "So when you go to bed, try not to trip over her."<p>

Casey nodded. "Well, Alex, have you decided to stay or not?" she inquired.

Alex checked the time, noting that it was almost eleven. "It's late, I have had a little too much to drink, and it's freezing outside. That being said, I think I will indeed stay for the evening. Thank you again for having me."

"It's not a problem, Alex," Olivia replied. "We are both glad that you came," she qualified, wrapping an arm around Casey.

"Olivia's right." Casey smiled, sharing a secret grin with Alex, as they both knew what had been said between them, and Olivia was certainly not privy to the information. "Which room would you like?"

Alex thought for a moment. "Do you have one with a large window, a queen sized bed, and is warm enough that I don't get frost bite?"

Casey nodded. "If you go through the game room and down the hall way over there, turn left. It is the one directly at the end of the hall. Only..." She trailed off, sharing a glance with Olivia.

"What's wrong with it?" Alex asked, and Casey could see that she had worried her.

The attorney quickly replied "Nothing is wrong with the room. It has all of the things you wanted and more, but it is right above our room and..." She sighed, trying to avoid the awkward discussion. Finally, she said "It's right above our room, and I don't want to disturb you." As she finished speaking, Casey blushed deeply.

Alex, however, shrugged it off. "Trust me, I've heard worse. At least I know you two. Try being at a hotel where the guests in the room next to yours have insanely loud sex AND make their bed squeak."

"Well, our bed doesn't squeak. At least, uh..I don't think it does," Casey answered. "And we will keep it down, out of respect for you. We have to anyway, because of the baby, so don't worry at all. Enjoy your night. And if you need anything, just let me know and I will gladly get it for you."

The three women shared a series of hugs before going their separate ways. Casey followed Olivia down to the third floor and into their bedroom. As they changed for bed, Casey slipped into her favorite nightgown, adjusting the sleeves. "Tonight was a really good night," she observed. "I am glad she came. I think it will provide closure for all of us."

"I hope so," Olivia answered, placing her clothes in her side of the hamper and sliding into her favorite boxers.

Casey was about to reply when she heard Chocolate howl suddenly. As the little dog rushed out of the bedroom and darted down the stairs, Casey followed, Olivia close behind. They realized at once why the puppy was barking: someone was pounding on the door. Casey looked at Olivia nervously, and Olivia silently told her to move. "This is the police. Open up now," came a deep male voice from outside.


	54. Chapter 14-- Naked Stranger

_Author's note: Well, this chapter was supposed to be published earlier in the week. To be more specific, I wrote it on Thursday. However, I lost the original chapter, when, instead of hitting "upload" I hit "delete". My laptop automatically removes everything in the trash, so retrieving it was a lost cause. Anyway, I wanted to put a key author's note at the end of this chapter, but I decided it is best to place it at the beginning. Here's the warning: the events of this chapter are anticlimactic when compared to those of the last chapter. That being said, there are many surprises coming up...some are good, some are bad, some simply depend on each person's thoughts towards good and bad events. But there are surprises, I promise. Anyway, now that I've babbled about what happened and promised what will happen, here is the chapter. Also, there may be a possible pairing coming up. I won't say who, but watch for the clues. I'm sure, between this chapter and the next two, you'll be able to figure it out. Also, I will be making a second companion video. There will be one for every group of twenty chapters or so, because that is roughly how many sections the story's events are divided into. Enough babbling...here we go._

Casey folded her arms across her chest, standing beside Olivia, who in turn was staring at the cops. "Okay, no offense to anyone is meant by this, but seeing the police on our doorstep in the middle of the night is slightly un-nerving," the attorney remarked. "What I find even more frustrating is the fact that my wife is a detective, and that, last time I checked, no one in this house is a criminal, or harboring one. May I ask, then, why two fine officers like yourselves are calling upon us?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. There were many things the attorney was capable in the middle of the night. Respect for late night calls was not one of them.

Olivia sighed. "It's okay. They are probably just on normal patrol."  
>"Really?" Casey asked. "When you do normal patrol, do you by chance stop at houses that happen to be in your sector?"<p>

"No," Olivia conceded. She sighed again and looked at the two officers. "How are you tonight?"

Casey scoffed, knowing Olivia was trying to balance her anger, but it was doing little to help. Meanwhile, the dark haired officer, who appeared to be in his early thirties, adjusted his belt and said "We're good, ma'am. As you guessed, we were on patrol in this area, until we got a call. We were told that there was a man with a knife running around the neighborhood. The call came in from a terrified housewife, and we wondering if you saw anything?"

"We have been upstairs with our baby and a guest for most of the night. I didn't hear anything."

Olivia stepped in. "When I came down to get our drinks earlier, I thought I heard a commotion down the street. I opened the front door, but by then it had stopped, and I assumed it was merely a couple arguing." She ignored Casey's confused look.

The older officer, who must have been nearly fifty, and who Casey thought should lay off of the doughnuts, jotted down everything Olivia said. "Thank you, Detective. Do you happen to remember from which direction the ruckus came?"

"Left," Olivia responded immediately. "At first I thought it was from the house three doors down from ours, because they fight every night. I did not hear anything out of the ordinary."

"Thank you. That will be very helpful. I wish we had come here first. Cops are always more helpful than civilians," the older officer remarked. He and his partner smiled at the two women, then left.

Casey turned to Olivia. "So there's a madman running down the street with a knife, and what, we're supposed to just sit here and drink tea?"  
>"Fat chance," Olivia replied, instantly slipping into cop mode. Casey followed her upstairs and into their bedroom. The detective grabbed her gun and shield from the nightstand and turned to her wife. "I'm going to help them find him. I'm not going to relax when my family could be at stake. We know nothing about this weirdo. He could be a rapist or a murderer or both. There is no way in hell I'm letting him anywhere near you or our daughter." Olivia kissed Casey softly, then placed a tender kiss on the redhead's swollen stomach. "Turn all of the lights off. I will bolt every single door in the house and draw the curtains on every window. The alarms are wired if he even tries to break in, and I'm sure Chocolate will tell him off." She kissed Casey again.<p>

"He may not even come back," Casey said. "If he was seen running away, then he's fleeing. Why would he turn around?"

"Casey, I don't trust civilian statements," Olivia replied. "They can be accurate or inaccurate, but I don't believe anything until I see it for myself. You know that. For all we know, he could be running to the store for a beer."

Casey sighed. "How likely is that?"

Olivia merely shook her head. "Stranger things have happened. Now do as I say. And I want you, Alex, and the baby to be in the attic. It's the safest place."

"Oh yeah, we'll be perfectly safe. Let's all sip martinis while my wife is on the street chasing after a shadow. Olivia, please, let the uniforms handle it."

"Casey, you saw that younger one. He was stuttering, he had no idea what was going on, and he was completely dominated by the other officer. Maybe he's a great detective underneath that cowering exterior, but I doubt it. And I promised, when I became a detective, to protect the people at all costs. Sex crimes, murders, you name it. Being in one bureau doesn't mean you can't assist another. This is dangerous. I have to do my duty. I have to protect my family and the citizens, or innocent lives could be lost." Olivia kissed Casey again. "Just trust me, sweetie. Please."

Casey sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "If you get shot, I will kill you for dying on me."

Olivia chuckled. "That's a great thing to look forward to." She shook her head and kissed Casey one last time, and, promising she would be back, left the room. A few minutes later, Chocolate perked up, which meant she had heard the front door close.

"Okay, beautiful, come with me," Casey said, reaching down to scratch behind Chocolate's ears. The puppy wagged her tail eagerly, assuming an attentive stance. She followed Casey into the nursery. Casey paused beside her daughter's crib. She was torn between obeying Olivia and waking Samantha, who was fast asleep. Then, the realization of what they could be dealing with dawned on her, and the attorney gingerly lifted her daughter out of the crib and into her arms. Samantha stirred, and Casey comforted her. Chocolate in tow, they exited the bedroom and walked up the stairs. Reaching the next floor, Casey made her way down the hall and knocked on Alex's door. "Alex, are you asleep?" she called out.

"I'm awake." A few seconds later, the door opened, and Alex poked her head out. Noticing Casey, the baby, and the dog, she paused. "Is it morning already?"

Casey shook her head. "No. Olivia wants us all in the attic."

"She has officially lost her mind," Alex murmured, shaking her head.

"Now, let's be fair. She lost her mind a long time ago," Casey answered, cracking a tiny smile. "But.." She regained her seriousness. "The police were here a few minutes ago." Seeing the concern immediately flash across Alex's face, the attorney quickly said "Everyone's okay. They wanted information. Apparently someone called 9/11 and said that there was a mad man roaming the streets screaming and wielding a knife. Naturally, they called the officers who were on patrol in this neighborhood, and they were going from house to house asking questions."

Alex nodded as she listened. "Well, this is a crazy time of year. Where is Olivia?"

"Olivia decided that she was going to go help them. She ordered us to confine ourselves in the attic until she got home."

"Leave it to her. She's the protector and everyone else is the damsel in distress." Alex sighed. "Alright. Let's go."

Casey followed her up the remaining stairs and into the attic. Once inside, the redhead closed the door tightly and locked it. She even blocked it with a chair in case of disaster. "Alex, can you get the window?" she asked, placing the baby in the play pen they kept in the attic. Samantha was beginning to wake up, and she fussed when Casey put her down. "I'm here, honey," Casey assured her.

Alex sat down in an old rocking chair in the corner after closing the curtains. "Do you think this guy is dangerous?"

Casey shrugged. She dangled one of Samantha's old toys over the play pen. The baby had lost interest in it after it had been replaced with something bigger and better, but it was as if Samantha sensed the tension, because she took it happily, and began gnawing on the teddy bear's stuffed head. "I don't know what I think," she answered. "I know how dangerous the city is. I mean, we all see that every day. But someone running down the street naked, wearing a knife? For all we know, it's someone drunk. Or maybe it's a homeless man chasing after someone who tried to hurt him. That could explain why he was naked. But I do not feel as if this is a dangerous person. I think, first of all, if he were truly dangerous, he would have been dressed, masked, the whole shebang."

"What if he's high?" Alex asked. "Maybe he is on cocaine or LSD or something equally mind-altering. That could explain why he's naked. People do strange things when they are high."

"Right," Casey conceded. "And I guess the knife could mean he's paranoid. But it doesn't add up. He was running, and it didn't seem as if he had hurt anyone from way the police spoke. It's just some nut job running down the street. And yet here we are, locked in the attic while Olivia chases after him. And what if he's not even real? People have prank called 9/11 for everything, especially this."

Alex nodded, crossing her legs in the darkness. "I know what you mean, and I agree fully. I suppose we will have to wait and see."  
>Casey sighed, looking at her daughter, who was still teething on her teddy bear. "Part of me hopes this is all some sick joke, and part of me hopes they actually do find him. I mean if he is real...then we may or may not be in danger. For now, we are stuck in the attack. Chocolate, don't chew on that." Chocolate looked up guiltily from gnawing on a cardboard box, and jumped into Casey's lap. Casey scratched the puppy's head. "You're a bad girl," she murmured, though the little dog was too adorable to be truly angry with, and all she could muster was a minutely admonishing tone.<p>

Casey had fallen asleep in the arm chair across from Alex when she was startled awake by sirens. "What the-" She lifted her head and rubbed her eyes sleepily. "I guess he was real after all," she murmured when she realized that the sirens, judging by the blaring shrieks, could only be a few houses down the street.

A half hour later, someone pounded on the attic door. "Casey, it's me. Open the door."  
>"Sorry, don't know a me," Casey called out. "I may need further introduction."<p>

"Casey Elizabeth!" Olivia scolded. She hit the door again. "Let me in."

Casey shook her head and stood up, unblocking the door and unlocking it. Once Olivia was inside, Casey sat down in the arm chair again. Olivia perched on the arm beside her, looking at the two attorneys. "We caught him."

"So he was real?" Casey asked, too sleepy to realize the redundancy of her question.

Olivia nodded. "After the uniforms cuffed him and tied a blanket around him, he was placed in the car. He wouldn't tell us much, but we managed to gather that he was with a hooker in his car, and she stole the car from him, leaving him to chase after it screaming."

Casey stifled her laughter at the mere visual. "Uh...then why the knife?" she asked.

"According to him, the hooker brought it with her, begging him to hold it to her throat while they..." Olivia shook her head. "The things people do..."

Alex interjected. "How do we know he wasn't raping her?"  
>Olivia sighed, folding her hands in her lap. "There were no offensive wounds on him, and he gave me the hooker's phone number and name. How real either one is, I don't know, but I have to believe he wouldn't try to use her as an alibi if he raped her. However, we will be investigating."<p>

Casey nodded, laying her head on her wife's shoulder. "Good luck. Is it bed time now?"

Olivia kissed the top of her head. "Yes," she murmured. "Everything is safe."


	55. Chapter 15- Little Jealousy

_Author's note: I think this is the longest I have ever gone without publishing. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, I have been exhausted, to the point where I was almost dead on my feet for much of the past couple of weeks. Between not sleeping well, going to bed late, and waking up early in the morning, I was lucky if I could focus on what I had to focus on, much less publishing a halfway decent chapter. I was also extremely depressed, due largely in part to relationship issues in real life. This murdered my creativity. Finally, I have also been extremely busy. The conclusion here is that I could not publish, but I vowed that I would today. I hope everyone can forgive me. Thanks for reading this and the chapter, and please review._

The next several months flew by in a torrent of trials, preparations for the new baby, and occasional couple time that Casey and Olivia managed to squeeze in. Now in the final month of her pregnancy, Casey was on strict maternity leave, and she was ordered to relax as much as possible. The attorney sighed as she sat on the edge of the bed. She hated being idle; it made her feel useless. She needed a purpose. She needed to work.

Sighing, the attorney stood up and walked into the closet, where Olivia had built the nursery. She examined the freshly painted walls. Casey smiled as everything pink stared back at her. She was surprised that Olivia had been able to remain in the nursery long enough to finish building and painting it, given how much she loathed the color pink. Casey shook her head, picking up a teddy bear with a pink tutu. Part of her was excited to have another baby, but the other part of her also worried. She hoped Samantha would get along with her baby sister, and that there was no sibling rivalry. At least, no serious sibling rivalry that would require keeping the children in separate ends of the house.

Having become lost in thought, Casey jumped a mile into the air when the baby monitor alerted her that Samantha was crying. Sighing, she shut the alarm off and walked out of the bedroom and into Samantha's room, which they had purposely made right next to theirs. Samantha had been stubborn about a big girl's room at first, but Casey had convinced her that fairies only visited when big girls were by themselves. How long that would hold, she wasn't sure. Samantha was only a year and a half, but she had the maturity and abilities of a child twice her age. Despite this, though, Casey desperately hoped it would stand for now. Entering her daughter's bedroom, Casey paused when she saw her daughter sitting in bed.

"Samantha," Casey murmured, sitting down beside her and pulling her daughter into her lap. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

Samantha held up her teddy bear, which was half her size. "Holey," she answered.

Casey examined it, realizing that there was indeed a hole on the teddy bear's side. For the first time, she noticed that there was stuffing on the bed. "Honey, I can fix him, it's okay. Don't cry. I'll fix him," she promised, kissing the top of Samantha's head.

"Mommy?" Samantha asked.

"Yes, sweetheart?" Casey responded. Usually her daughter's questions were along the lines of 'Why is the sky blue' and 'Why is the grass green' and 'Why does Santa only come once', though in three year old speak of course. It was that type of question that she was expecting, so what Samantha actually asked completely shocked her.

"I hate baby," the little girl replied, gesturing to Casey's stomach.

So much for a lack of sibling rivalry. Casey sighed. "Sweetie, we've talked about this. What did we say?"

"Baby is good," Samantha responded, echoing Casey's lecture from the day before.

"Right. The baby is good. She's not going to hurt you. Momma and I will still play with you, honey. But sometimes, you'll have to play with the baby. We need your help, honey."

Samantha said nothing. She had turned her attention back to her broken teddy bear. "My bear," she said possessively. Casey realized that she thought all of her toys would be given to the new baby. She quickly set her straight.

"Yes. Your bear," she replied. "Baby will have her own bear." It was difficult sometimes for her to speak to Samantha, because she sometimes forgot that she was talking to a baby, and simplifying her language was somewhat difficult to the well articulated attorney.

"Okay, Mommy." Samantha hugged her. "Tootsie?"

Casey smiled. "I'll tell you what. If you eat all of your food, you can have a tootsie." Tootsie rolls were Samantha's favorite candy. While it wasn't wise to leave a baby with something they could choke on, Casey was able to administer the candy safely. She monitored her daughter closely when she was eating, and she only gave her a tootsie roll occasionally. It had been a nice alternative to Samantha chewing on furniture and toys during her teething phase.

After breakfast, Casey gave Samantha a tootsie roll. Once she was finished, she put on a fairy tale marathon, sitting her daughter in her special chair. It was a pink plastic chair decorated with the disney princesses. It was perfect for toddlers. As Casey started _Sleeping Beauty_, she sat down on the sofa, her daughter's chair directly in front of her. She grabbed the needle and thread and set to work sewing the teddy bear in her arms.

As she pulled the needle through the bear's side, she was momentarily distracted. The baby was kicking again. She was a very active child, even more so than Samantha had been. It wore Casey out at times, in addition to distracting her frequently. Once the teddy bear was finished, after a half hour of work, Casey placed it in her daughter's arms.

"Yay!" Samantha cheered, standing up to hug her. "Thank you, Mommy."

"You're welcome," Casey murmured. "Watch the movie, sweetheart." She helped Samantha sit down again, and re-claimed her own seat on the couch. By now, the fairies were arguing over what color the dress should be. Casey laid on her side, resting her head on one of the pillows. Her back was killing her, though that was nothing new. She kept one eye on her daughter and the other on the movie. After another hour, the movie ended and transitioned into _Snow White_. Casey had two princesses to keep an eye on.


	56. Chapter 16-- Olivia's Lamentation

_Author's note: You know what I hate about excuses? I hate that they are used in the worst situations. Poor excuses are given in the worst situations, which is to say, excuses are just a false justification. But some excuses have validity. I promise the one that follows is at least partially valid. I have been going through a lot in real life: preparing to visit my mother over the holidays; working on my story with another writer; having major relationship issues; and, finally, having the creativity of a walnut. I didn't want to write a chapter simply for the sake of filling space with empty words. That is my biggest pet peeve when authors do that. Anyway, I'm going to try to go back to updating twice every week, as things are slowly winding down again. I'll try. If not, expect a chapter at least ONCE every week._

_This chapter takes place around Christmas time. It's fitting, after all. I do have some surprises up my sleeve, so stay tuned. I promise you won't regret it. As always, thanks for reading, both the chapter and my knack for pointless monologuing. Enjoy =). Please review._

Exhaustion did not begin to describe how Casey felt. In fact, on a scale from zombie to energizer bunny, the young attorney was as far to the right as was humanly possible. Between taking care of the baby and spending what little time she and Olivia could spend as a couple—a deficit caused by Olivia's crazy work schedule and their mutual exhaustion—Casey was as dead as a breathing person could be.

Leaning against the counter one chilly December evening, the redhead sipped her steaming cocoa. Samantha was with the babysitter, which left Casey and Olivia a night to their-selves. Sighing, Casey read the clock on the stove. The green numbers alerted her, for the fifth time that minute, that it was a quarter past ten. It was hardly unusual for Olivia to be late, but Casey couldn't deny how frustrated, how restless she was growing.

Five minutes later, she sighed, placing her drink on the counter. Wrapping her robe more tightly around her, she walked out of the kitchen, making her way through the living room to the thermostat at the base of the stairs. Merely reading the frigid temperature amount made her shiver. Twenty eight degrees seemed impossible, as it was only the end of autumn. Shaking her head, Casey turned the heat to full blast and walked calmly into the kitchen once more.

Casey had just set another pot of water to boil when the front door opened. Hearing it close again, Casey waited a few moments, after which, Olivia rushed in, laden with groceries. Casey quickly helped her place everything on the counter. "You went grocery shopping at almost eleven at night?" the attorney asked, eyebrow arched.

Olivia shook her head. "No. I went grocery shopping at nine at night. But then I had to go all the way back to the precinct, realizing I had forgotten my jacket. How it took me so long to figure that out is a mystery." The detective grabbed a freshly made cookie from the tower on the island. "Anyway," she continued. "By then it was about ten. I had to stop at the gas station on my way home, and by the way I got all the way across the city, a considerable amount of time had passed."

"What an interesting night," Casey murmured, returning the gentle kiss Olivia placed on her lips. As the older woman lifted Casey's blouse and rubbed the redhead's swollen stomach, placing a kiss there as well, Casey smiled. "Did you wrangle a confession out of Jameson?"  
>Olivia sighed. "No." She walked over to the refrigerator and opened it. Retrieving a bottled beer from inside, she used her foot to close the refrigerator, ignoring Casey's glare. Opening the bottle, she the brunette leaned against the counter. She took a long swig of her beer. "We were close though," she admitted, capping the drink once more and setting it roughly behind her. Seeing Casey's curious look, she smiled gently. "I should say, I was close. He demanded to be interrogated by 'That smoking lady cop'."<p>

Casey groaned. "Why do the creeps always hit on you?" she asked, shaking her head. "Then again," she said, thinking logically. "There is another lady cop there. I won't say she's smoking, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

"He started reciting a poem about my 'long chocolate locks'," Olivia qualified.

"Okay, enough!" Casey cried. "I'm going to have to drown myself just to crawl out away from that visual," she protested, shuddering visibly.

Olivia chuckled. "My point being, he meant me. Anyway, after I walked in, I closed the door. I sat down in front of him and told him that it was time to get down to business. What I find ironic is that everyone knows about the extra cops behind the mirror. He, however, was completely shocked."  
>"Maybe he was just acting," Casey suggested. "How many freaks like him have we seen? They are a sadist in angel's clothing."<p>

Olivia shook her head. "He wasn't acting." Something about the older woman's tone cut Casey off mid-protest. "I was just about to get a confession out of that weasel when he lawyered up." She shook her head sadly. "Damn shame. I had the bastard."  
>"You'll get him," Casey assured her. "No one is a better weasel wrangler than the beautiful Detective Benson." She kissed Olivia softly, just as the water on the stove boiled over. The redhead rushed over to it, quickly turning the flame down. Turning around, she faced Olivia once more. "So."<p>

"I find it amazing that someone so stupid is capable of such feats of intelligence," Olivia lamented.

Casey arched her eyebrow curiously. "What do you mean?" she asked. "And about whom?"

Olivia sighed deeply. "Jameson," she continued. "He didn't know about the magic mirror, and that disturbs me. Anyone who has been on the planet for five years knows about that trick. And yet...he didn't. So there's this stupid, seemingly innocent creep...and yet he's enough of a mastermind to elude capture for fifteen years? He had to have a partner."  
>"I thought that theory was ruled out," Casey answered, reaching for her cocoa again.<p>

Olivia finished her beer, tossing it into the recycle bin. Opening the refrigerator, she grabbed another one. "I don't know," she admitted, opening the bottle with a loud pop. "The theory was ruled out, but even the best crime scene analysts have to be wrong once in their careers. It just pisses me off that that bastard cannot tell the truth for five seconds. The closest I got to a confession was him telling me that I was hotter than his ex, who he referred to as a mosquito on society's thumb."

"Interesting metaphor," Casey observed, shaking her head. "Do you have any other proof that he might have a partner? You know how my boss thinks."

"Casey, think about it. The first reason is the one I already mentioned, regarding his odd combination of stupidity and pure genius. And someone cannot avoid capture for as long as he has without having a partner. Someone had to have sheltered him, and one does not walk into someone's house begging to be hidden from the police without being forced to explain why. If whoever harbored him knew, then that makes them an accessory."  
>Casey nodded. "That's true," she conceded. Olivia's argument made perfect sense, as much as the young attorney hate to think about Jameson's partner in crime, equally as sadistic and free as a bird. Again, the water threatened to boil over. This time, Casey shut it off altogether and set to work preparing a new batch of hot chocolate. "What else?" she asked, stirring the chocolate in.<p>

Olivia reached for her beer again and replied "I've seen enough weak links over the years to know that, if he does have an accomplice, he is the weak one. It would explain why he was captured and his possible partner was not. It would also explain why he had no knowledge of some of the crime scene photos that we showed him. Maybe he was not present at every murder."

Casey voiced her theory for the second time that night. "Maybe he's just a damn good actor."

"Casey, he wasn't acting!" Olivia insisted. Casey shrank back against the counter, refusing to argue anymore. Olivia sighed. "I would bet my badge, pension, and life that the sick freak has a partner. If I have to work twenty five hours a day to prove it, so be it."

It was Casey's turn to sigh. "Olivia, I'm just trying to be logical here. You of all people know that it is damn near impossible to get an indictment on the basis of a theory."

"I know," Olivia conceded. "But I'm sure of this, Casey. I won't stop until I'm proven right. Or wrong. Whatever the case may be, we have to know. Can you get a warrant?"  
>"What kind of warrant?" Casey asked skeptically. "I have to tell you right now that a search warrant for his house is unlikely; an arrest warrant for his phantom partner is next to impossible to procure; and an arrest warrant for him will be pointless, because he was already in interrogation."<p>

Olivia nodded. "I know. You've gotten warrants on less before. Think about it this way. The son of a bitch raped, tortured, and murdered over thirty seven women in three years, and he was harbored for the past fifteen. Either we bring his ass back in, and this time manage to obtain more jury-loved evidence, or we're screwed and he is free to continue his crusade."

"Olivia, I know that, but you know as well as I do that there is not a judge on this planet who will give us any sort of warrant without more evidence. That is, unless, I can find one who has a personal drug addiction."

"You've gotten more on less," Olivia reiterated. "Please, Casey. Don't let there be a woman number thirty eight."

Casey sighed, placing the wooden spoon she had been using on the counter. She turned to completely face Olivia, having previously only looked up at her occasionally. "I'll try," she said. "Okay, I'll try. But I can't promise anything beyond that."

Olivia pulled her closer, kissing her passionately. "Has anyone ever told you that you're the perfect wife? And who do you belong to?"

Casey smiled. "You and only you," she replied, returning the kiss, nibbling on Olivia's tongue gently. Olivia's soft groan sent a spark of arousal through the young attorney, and they forced themselves to pull apart a few moments later. "When you're done with your beer, I made cocoa if you want some. Has it warmed up any in here?"

"I haven't given it much thought," Olivia admitted. She paused for a moment, thinking. "It feels pretty warm," she answered finally. She smiled, looking into Casey's eyes. "Why do you ask?"

Casey sighed. "Because it was under thirty degrees in here before you got home, and before I turned the heater up." She paused, her gaze wandering down Olivia's body. "Olivia, what were you doing before you got home?"

"I told you. Shopping. And I had to go back to the precinct. It took longer than I expected to get home." Olivia paused, noting Casey's curious gaze. "Why?"

"Because your fly is down." Casey smirked and grabbed a cookie, nearly skipping out of the kitchen.


	57. Chapter 17-- Screwed

Hours later, Casey curled up on her side, looking at Olivia. "It's three AM," she murmured. "We were at it for four hours."

Olivia checked the clock with a smile. "Mm. Yes we were. What else is new?" she asked, pulling Casey into her arms for a passionate kiss. The detective paused, noticing how quiet Casey had fallen. "Baby, are you okay?" she asked, brushing a stray red curl out of Casey's emerald eyes.

"Huh? Oh." Casey smiled. "No. I was just having one of those moments...thinking..spacing out." She shrugged. "I'm back to Earth now, I promise."  
>Olivia, however, wasn't letting it slide. "When my wife spaces out and leaves the planet, I like to know why. You're obsessing."<p>

"No." Casey sighed when saw Olivia's chocolate brown gaze narrow. "Okay, maybe," she admitted. She sat up, holding the comforter to her naked body. "It's not what you think."  
>"Then what is it?" Olivia asked. She reached for a chocolate kiss from the bowl beside their bed, unwrapping it and handing it to Casey. "It's the mint flavor. Your favorite."<p>

Casey thanked her quietly. Without eating the candy, she launched into explanation. "I was just thinking about Jameson. Like I said, no judge is going to sign a warrant on the evidence we have, and since he lawyered up, we can't talk to him." She sighed, falling against the pillows and staring up at the ceiling. "We're screwed."

"How romantic. Right after sex, she's thinking about a rapist," Olivia muttered.

Casey turned her head to glare at the detective. "Don't try telling me it doesn't bother you, because I know it does. In fact, those crinkles at the corners of your eyes tell me so, because you only get them when you're pissed off. Olivia, what are we going to do about this?"

"It does bother me. But Casey, we can't do anything right this minute. Besides, don't you think I already thought of this problem? There's a reason I have a partner, you know. As much as I regret it sometimes...he is a good researcher."

Casey shrugged, eating her chocolate kiss and throwing her legs over the bed. "There's too many of us and not enough of them. Ugh, I mean there's too many of them and not enough of us." She growled and stormed into the bathroom, muttering to herself as she closed the door.

"Pregnancy hormones," Olivia murmured, grabbing her boxers and redressing. "I'm going downstairs for a minute," she called to the closed door, sighing when she heard the running water.

She fed the dog, letting her in before returning to the kitchen. Ten minutes later, she stirred sugar into Casey's chamomile. It was one of two things that soothed the pregnant attorney when she was in one of her moods, next to chocolate.

Carrying the tea upstairs, Olivia placed it on Casey's nightstand and knocked on the bathroom door. "Case?" she called. "I made you some tea. Are you feeling okay?"

Casey opened the door. She was wearing her favorite black silk robe. "I'm fine. Never better. Jameson is really getting on my nerves. Thanks for the tea." She kissed Olivia, who rolled her eyes, shaking her head the minute the younger woman's back was turned. Casey sat on the bed with her tea, blowing on it. Steam rose out of the cup, billowing into the air and dissipating.

"I know, honey. He's getting on everyone's nerves. Thirty seven women...and all we can do is watch helplessly from the sidelines. However, as awful as this situation is, I meant it when I said I'll fix it. That bastard is going to pay for every last punch he inflicted, every drop of blood he spilled." Olivia sighed, turning to face Casey. "Casey, your feet look extremely sore."

Casey shrugged. "They are. But I'm fine. They are just a little swollen is all."

Olivia shook her head, positioning herself at the edge of the bed. She gently reached for the attorney's swollen feet. "Let me help," she murmured as she began to massage them.

"Olivia." Casey moaned softly. "God, is there anything you're not good at?" she asked, her feet slowly relaxing into Olivia's touch. "Do you know if Amaro found anything that can be of use to us?" she asked.

"He hasn't texted me yet. When he does, I'll let you know. In the meantime, I want you to relax, and try not to think about it. The stress is not good for you or the baby."

Casey knew, as much as she wanted to try to figure the mess out, Olivia was right. She needed to protect the baby at all costs, and the stress that Jameson's attacks were inflicting was incredible. It had to be dangerous to their little one. As Olivia continued to massage her feet, Casey sipped her tea, remaining quiet, save the occasional moan of pleasure.

"You know what we can talk about?" Olivia asked, her gaze locking with Casey's. The brunette smirked, seeing the younger woman's curious look. "We can talk about how incredible that was. Baby, I'll be lucky if I can work in the morning after that."

Casey blushed. "It's all the pent up stress and anger, I guess. Well, that and the pregnancy hormones that you apparently think I have so much of."

"Casey, please." Olivia smiled, moving up to kiss her. "You're crying one minute and laughing the next. You're constantly horny. And you obsess over everything...well, you did that before, but now it's worse. Don't get me wrong. Motherhood definitely becomes you, but your personality is definitely hormonal."

Casey opened her mouth to argue, but she quickly closed it, settling instead for a pout. She knew how right Olivia was, and that she had no place to argue. "You're right," she said, changing the subject. "It was amazing. It always is, but that...that was something we haven't had in a very long time." She nuzzled into the older woman's neck.

Olivia kissed the top of her head. "I love you. No matter what happens, no matter who tries to come between us, I will always love you."

"Well, that's good, because I'm a mess without you. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm a mess with you," Casey answered, laughing. She laid her head on the older woman's chest, closing her eyes slowly. However, just as she was about to fall asleep, Olivia's phone vibrated on the nightstand.

Olivia sighed and answered it. "Benson." Casey remained quiet throughout the conversation, hearing, of course, Olivia's end only. "You did? Oh, that's great. Yes, I'll tell her. Do what you need to do, but he needs to be brought in. I'll be in around eight. If you need me sooner, just call." The brunette hung up, smiling at Casey's eyebrows, which were arched hopefully. "How happy would you be to know that Amaro found a loophole?"

"Happier than a kitten with a ball of yarn." Casey sat up suddenly, then regretted it. "Oh, bad baby," she murmured at her stomach. "Uh. Anyway...did he find the loophole I think he found?" Seeing Olivia's curious gaze, Casey smiled. "Did he not sign a form to officially invoke?"

"He did. The loophole is more complex than that, and something Jameson will certainly try to bypass. He was picked up in an assault against a prostitute this morning."

Casey sighed. "Olivia, it doesn't matter. His invocation counts regardless of what he is arrested for."  
>"You didn't let me finish," Olivia pointed out. She continued. "When he was arrested and read Miranda, he interrupted Fin, telling him to go to hell. When Fin tried to tell him he had the right to an attorney, Jameson screamed that he had fired his attorney that morning, and that he didn't do anything wrong this time, and no longer needed an attorney."<p>

"What an idiot. Does he not realize that he will still be charged with the original list of crimes?" Casey asked, shaking her head as Olivia gave her another chocolate kiss.

"Who knows? What matters in this moment is that we're back in. We'll interrogate him about his attack on the prostitute, and hopefully in the process, use our powers of persuasion to get him to confess to the other attacks."

Casey smiled. "That's great, Olivia." She kissed the brunette softly, pulling back to gaze into her eyes. She moaned when Olivia pulled her closer. When the brunette tugged on her nipples, the redhead whimpered against her, wanting to pull away, but finding herself unable to. Her arousal curled within her, seemingly stronger than it was before they started.

It was, ultimately, Olivia who broke the embrace. "I'm torn between my sexy wife, and knowing that I have to get my butt to work in less than four hours."

Casey looked into Olivia's eyes. "You've stayed up for three days before," she murmured, her fingers tracing patterns across the older woman's olive skin. Part of her felt guilty for keeping Olivia up, but she was also torn herself, because it was rare for them to have so long to spend as a couple, between work and the baby, among other things.

"You're very talented at arguing," Olivia whispered in her ear. "But if I fall asleep and drool on my desk, in front of the guys, it's your fault."

"Blame duly accepted," Casey answered, grinning. She pinched Olivia gently, smirking when the older woman threw her head back. Olivia pulled the attorney into her arms, kissing her passionately. Her fingers wandered down the redhead's pale skin, which flushed as a spark of arousal shot through her. "I love you," Casey moaned, wrapping her arms around the brunette's neck. Her tongue circled Olivia's playfully, before being pinned by the older woman's. "I want you," the young woman purred. "I want you more than anything in the world."

"And?" Olivia asked, raking her nails down each of Casey's hips.

Casey whimpered, arching her body off of the bed. Olivia had pinned her, sometime between the battle of the tongues and the incredibly hot nail raking. "And what?" she moaned. She knew what Olivia wanted her to say, but she struggled not to, attempting to defy her.

Olivia drummed her fingers on the attorney's hips. "I'm waiting," she murmured. Still, she got no response from Casey. "Okay. I guess you just don't want me. I need to take care of some things." She sat up, attempting to get out of bed. However, Casey's legs wrapped around her waist pleadingly.

"Please," Casey moaned weakly. "Olivia, I need you. You know I need you...so badly...please.."

"Are you sure? I think you're just saying that to keep me here."

"Olivia, please!" Her resolve had fallen quite quickly, but Casey was far too worked up to care. All she could think about, all she wanted to feel was Olivia inside of her, torturing her into oblivion. "Please," she moaned. She hadn't realized it, but her fingers had latched onto Olivia's hair, yanking on it.

Olivia growled quietly, kissing her deeply. Her fingers trailed down the redhead's body. "I need you too," she whispered in Casey's ear. "Forever."

An hour later, Casey snuggled under the covers, Olivia beside her. Both women were panting, and both were flushed with the afterglow that only sex provided. "Jesus Christ," Casey murmured. "H-how many stars are on the ceiling? I sort of lost track."

Olivia chuckled weakly. It was clear that the detective was out of breath. "None, baby. No stars...just the ceiling. Are you okay?"

"Okay in the sense that I feel okay, or okay in the sense that I'll never be able to walk again?" Casey asked, only half joking. All she remembered was grabbing onto Olivia, screaming her name...and then...nothing. She had completely lost any sense of anything. Her wife had truly sent her into the most incredible oblivion.

They had just snuggled together when two sharp noises rang over the baby monitor. Casey sighed as Olivia reached over and turned it off. "I'll get the baby."

"I'll get the dog," Olivia answered. The two women broke apart, quickly pulling themselves into robes as they rushed to tend to the needs of their two little ones.

_Author's note: Sorry for the long update break. I was in a car accident in real life, and I have lacked any creativity needed to write. I plan to return to updating twice a week. I hope everyone is still reading. Thanks for reading. I apologize again. Please read and review. _


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